No    367  ?ar* 


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THE  FIRESIDE  LIBRARY. 


INDIAN  MASSACRES 


AND 


Tales  of  the  Red  Skins, 


P.  O.  VICKERY,  Publisher. 

AUGUSTA,  ME. 


University  of  California  •  Berkeley 


INDIAN   MASSACRES 


AND 


TALES  OF  THE  RED  SKINS: 


AN 


AUTHENTIC    HISTORY    OF    THE    AMERICAN 
INDIAN  FROM  1492  TO  THE  PRESENT  TIME. 


PUBLISHED   BY   A.    D.    PORTER, 
NEW  YORK 
1895. 


COPYRIGHT  1895,  BY 
A,  D.  PORTER. 


PEEFACE. 


The  assertion  that  "truth  is  stranger  than  fiction  "  is  again 
verified  in  this  little  volume,  the  contents  of  \vhich  have  been 
collated  from  historical  facts  about  Indians  from  time  im- 
memorial in  America  down  to  the  present  day — far  surpass- 
ing the  blood-curdling  stories  evolved  from  the  imaginations 
of  sensational  novel  writers.  All  the  bloody  massacres  and 
Indian  \vars  with  our  aborigines  are  here  succinctly  tran- 
scribed for  the  benefit  of  those  who  have  not  the  time  or  data 
for  research,  yet  crave  the  exciting  and  horrible  in  literature. 
It  is  not  the  intention  of  the  compiler  to  inflame  the  minds 
of  Young  America,  or  provide  that  kind  of  mental  pabulum 
that  creates  a  desire  to  go  West  to  light  the  Red  Men.  Hence 
he  advises  the  putting  away  of  all  guns,  for  all  the  remaining 
savages  in  this  country  are  now  corraled  on  reservations 
under  the  eyes  of  Government  soldiers,  and  there  is  small 
possibility  of  ther<*  ever  being  occasion  again  to  record  par- 
allel Indian  horror- with  those  here  presented. 

THE  PUBLISHER. 


m 


INDIAN  MASSACRED 


CHAPTEB  I. 

ORIGIN  OF  NORTH  AMERICAN  INDIANS — THEIR  CUSTOMS,    RELIGION 
AND  PECULIARITIES. 

PERHAPS  the  Indian,  as  far  r;s  color  goes,  has  the  clearest 
o  of  all  the  races  of  the  earth  as  the  lineal  descendant  of 
Adam,  the  first  man,  (whose   name  signified   red  dirt),  God 
having  chosen  such  material  for  his  formation.    This,  how- 
ever, is  only  speculation. 

The  native  races  of  no;  ia  a nd  the  Indians  of  Amer- 

5  belonging  to  the  same  Mongoloid  variety 
of  the  human  race  ;  but  whether  America  was  originally  peo- 
ple*; r  Asia  from  America,  is  a  problem  which 
prc-historio  research  has  not  yet  solved.  The  strongest 
proof  tli  lians  are  from  Asia  is  afforded  by  the  fact 
that  the  nomadic  tribes  of  Alaska  are  related  to  the  Eam- 
chatkaos,  who  even  now  pass  and  repass  Behring  Straits. 
A  tribe  was  found  in  Alaska  who  spoke  the  language  of  Kam- 
chatka, and  many  tribes  on  both  sides  of  the  Straits  were 
identical  in  manners  and  customs.  Ot':er  similarities  estab- 
lished were  those  of  features  and  complexion  ;  religion,  dress 
and  ornaments;  marriages,  methods  of  warfare,  dances, 
sacrifices,  funeral  rites,  festivals  and  beliefs  concerning 
ireams ;  games,  naming  of  children,  dwellings  and  forms  of 
government. 

Columbus,  when  he  touched  land  in  1492,  believed  he  had 
reached  luuia,  and  consequently  he  called  the  natives  In- 
dians. How  long  the  Continent  had  been  peopled  before  Ids 
discovery  is  unknown,  but  ancient  remains,  such  as  the 
mounds  in  the  Mississippi  valley,  the  pre-historic  copper- 
mines  south  of  Lake  Superior,  and  the  shell-mounds  (kitchen- 

^1-  the  fact  th;»t  m\  aborig- 


^  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

inal  people,  or  most  likely  two  aboriginal  peoples,  had  ex- 
-  isted  in  what  is  now  the  United  States  for  an  indefinite 
period  extending  over  many  hundreds  and  perhaps  thou- 
sands of  years.  The  colonists  of  this  country  found  the  na- 
tive Indians  divided  into  numerous  tribes,  speaking  differ- 
ent dialects.  East  of  the  Mississippi,  the  chief  of  these,  with 
their  probable  number  ab'out  A.  D.  1650  were :  the  Algonquin 
tribes,  90,000 ;  the  Sioux  or  Dakotas,  3,000 ;  the  Huron  Iro- 
quois,  17,000 ;  Catawbas,  3,000 ;  Cherokees,  12,000 ;  Uchees, 
1,000 ;  Natchez,  4,000 ;  and  Mobilians,  50,000— about  180,000  all 
told. 

The  Indians,  before  receiving  instruction  concerning  the 
white  man's  God,  generally  believed  in  the  existence  of  a 
Supreme  Deity,  embodying  a  principle  of  universal  benevo- 
lence, and  that  to  him  their  gratitude  was  due  for  all  natural 
benefits.  On  the  other  hand,  they  stood  in  fear  of  a  spirit  of 
evil,  whose  influence  upon  human  affairs  they  considered  as 
being  more  direct  and  familiar.  To  this  being,  known 
among  many  tribes  as  Hobamocko,  much  more  assiduous 
devotion  was  paid  than  to  the  Great  Spirit,  it  being  far  more 
essential  in  their  view  to  deprecate  the  wrath  of  a  terrible 
enemy,  than  to  seek  the  favor  of  one  already  perfectly  well 
disposed  toward  his  creatures.  Beside  these  two  superior 
deities,  a  sort  of  fanciful  mythology  invested  every  notable 
object  with  its  tutelary  divinity,  and  bestowed  on  each  indi- 
vidual his  guardian  spirit.  A  general  idea  that  the  good 
would  be  rewarded,  and  the  bad  punished,  was  entertained. 
A  pleasant  land  was  fabled,  in  which  the  hunter,  after  death, 
should  pursue  his  favorite  employment,  in  the  midst  of  abun- 
dance, and  a  stranger  forever  to  want  or  fear.  Their  heaven 
was  as  far  removed  from  the  sensual  paradise  of  the  Mahom- 
etans, as  from  the  pure  abstractions  of  an  enlightened  re- 
ligion. Ease,  comfort,  and  a  sufficiency  for  the  natural 
wants,  seemed  all-sufficient  to  these  simple  children  of  nat- 
ure, to  render  an  eternity  delightful. 

The  general  appearance  of  a  North  America' Indian  can  be 
given  in  few  words ;  the  resemblance  between  those  of  differ- 
ent tribes  being  full  as  close  as  between  different  nations  of 
either  of  the  great  fa 'nilies  into  which  the  human  race  has 
been  arbitrarily  divided.  They  are  about  of  the  average 
height  which  man  attains  when  his  form  is  not  crammed  by 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  7 

premature  or  excessive  labor,  but  their  erect  posture  and 
slender  figure  give  them  the  appearance  of  a  tall  race.  Their 
limbs  are  well  formed,  but  calculated  rather  for  agility  than 
strength,  in  which  they  rarely  equal  the  more  vigorous  of 
European  nations.  They  generally  have  small  feet. 

The  most  distinguishing  peculiarities  of  the  race  are  the, 
reddish  or  copper  color  of  the  skin  ;  the  prominence  of  the 
cheek-bone ;  and  the  color  and  quality  of  the  hair.  This  is 
not  absolutely  straight,  but  somewhat  wavy,  and  has  not  in- 
aptly been  compared  to  the  mane  of  the  horse— less  from  its 
coarseness  than  from  its  glossy  hue  and  the  manner  in  which 
it  hangs.  Their  eyes  are  universally  dark.  The  women  are 
rather  short,  with  broader  faces,  and  a  greater  tendency  to 
obesity  than  the  men,  but  many  of  them  possess  a  symmet- 
rical figure,  with  an  agreeable  and  attractive  countenance. 

It  was  formerly  quite  a  general  impression  that  the  Indians 
were  destitute  of  beards.  This  error  resulted  from  the  almost 
universal  custom  prevalent  among  them  of  eradicating  what 
they  esteemed  a  deformity.  Tweezers,  made  of  wood  or 
muscle-shells,  served  to  pluck  out  the  hairs  as  soon  as  they 
appeared ;  and,  after  intercourse  with  the  whites  commenced, 
a  coil  of  spiral  wire  was  applied  to  the  same  use.  "It  was  es- 
teemed greatly  becoming  among  the  men  to  carry  this  oper- 
ation still  further,  and  to  lay  bare  the  whole  head,  with  the 
exception  of  a  top-knot,  or  ridge  like  the  comb  of  a  cock,  in 
which  feathers  or  porcupine  quills  were  fantastically  inter- 
woven. 

The  Indians  are  naturally  taciturn,but  fond  of  set  speeches. 
Their  oratory  is  of  no  mean  order,  and  is  distinguished 
for  a  pithiness,  a  quaintness,  and  occasionally  a  vein  of  dry 
sarcasm,  which  have  never  been  surpassed.  The  most  pleas- 
ing traits  in  the  character  of  these  strange  people  are  their 
reverence  for  age,  their  affection  for  their  children,  their 
high  notions  of  honor,  and  their  keen  sense  of  justice.  The 
great  stigma  upon  the  whole  race  is  their  deliberate  and 
systematic  cruelty  in  the  treatment  of  captives.  It  is  hard 
t<>  account  for  this,  but  it  really  appears,  upon  investigation, 
to  be  rather  a  national  custom,  gradually  reaching  a  climax, 
than  to  have  arisen  from  any  innate  love  of  inflicting  pain. 
It  is  perfectly  certain  that,  if  the  children  of  the  most  en- 
ned  ^nation  on  earth  should  be  brought  up  in  occasion- 


8  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

al  familiarity  with,  scenes  like  those  witnessed  at  the  execu- 
tion of  a  prisoner  by  the  American  savages,  they  would  ex- 
perience no  horror  at  the  sight.  We  need  not  seek  further 
than  the  history  of  religious  and  political  persecutions  in 
Europe,  or  the  cruelties  practise  1  on  reputed  witches  in  our 
own  country,  to  satisfy  us  that  the  character  of  the  Indians 
will  suffer  little  by  comparison  with  that  of  their  coiiteni 
raries  of  our  own  race. 

Among  some  of  those  nations  which  included  an  extensive 
confederacy,  where  a  system  of  government  had  become 
settled  by  usage,  and  the  authority  of  the  chief  had  bee  a 
strengthened  by  Ion  gsubmission  to  him  and  las  predeces- 
sors, an  arbitrary  monarchy  see;vs  to  have  prevailed ;  but 
among  the  smaller  tribes,  the  authority  of  the  chief  was 
rather  advisory  than  absolute.  There  was  generally  a  king 
who  held  hereditary  offices,  and  exercised  the  powers  of  a 
civil  governor  by  virtue  of  his  descent,  while  to  lead  the  war- 
riors in  battle,  the  bravest,  most  redoubted  and  sagacious 
of  the  tribe  was  elected.  These  two  chiel'  offices  were  not 
unfrequently  united  in  the  same  person,  when  the  lawful 
sachem,  from  a  spirit  of  emulation  or  from  natural  advan- 
tages, showed  himself  worthy  of  the  position. 

All  matters  of  national  interest  were  discussed  at  a  solemn 
council,  consisting  of  the  principal  men  of  the  tribe,  and  at 
which  great  decorum  and  formality  were  observed.  As  the 
debate  proceeded,  the  whole  cone  lave,  whenever  a  remark 
from  the  orator  speaking  excited  their  approbation,  would 
give  expression  to  their  approval  by  a  guttural  ejaculation, 

A  natural  instinct  of  retributive  justice  ordained  that  the 
crime  of  murder  should  be  punished  by  the  hand  of  the  de- 
ceased person's  nearest  relative. 

The  institution  of  marriage  among  the  American  Indians 
in  their  palmy  days  was  by  no  means  so  restrictive  a  system 
as  that  adopted  by  enlightened  nations.  It  was  for  t' <e  u : 
part  dissoluble  at  the  pleasure  of  the  parties,  and  polygamy 
was  extensively  practiced.  As  with  other  barbarous  nations, 
the  woman  was  compelled  to  undergo  the  drudgery  of  daily 
labor,  while  her  lord  and  master  lounged  indolently  about 
the  village,  except  at  times  when  his  energies  were  called 
forth  for  hunting  or  war.  When  once  engaged  in  these  pur- 
suits, his  fixedness  of  purpose,  and  the  readiness  with  which 


INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

he  would  undergo  the  extremes  of  toil,  exposure,  hunger, 
and  privation,  was  marvelous. 

Our  museum. s  throughout  the  country  teem  with  speci- 
mens of  the  primitive  instruments  used  by  Indians  for  of- 
fciu-c  or  d  fence.  Arrow  heads  were  made  of  triangular  bits 
or  wrought  Hint,  quartz,  or  other  stone.  Larger  pieces  of 
the  same  material  served  for  lances  and  tomahawks.  How 
the  arrow  and  lance  heads  could  have>jaqgn  attached  with  ' 
any  degree  of  firmness  to  the  wood,  seems  almost  incompre- 
hensible. A  species  of  glue  assisted  in  accomplishing  this 
object,  but  the  shank  or  portion  of  the  stone  that  entered  the 
wood  is  in  some  of  the  specimens  so  short  and  ill  denned, 
that  it  seems  impossible  that  it  should  have  been  held  firm 
in  its  place  by  such  means.  A  handle  \vas  commonly  affixed 
to  the  "tom-hog"  or  tomahawk  by  inserting  it  in  a  split  sap- 
ling, and  waiting  for  the  wood  to  grow  firmly -around  it; 
after  which,  it  was  cut  off  at  the  requisite  length. 

The  Indian  bow  was  shorter  than  that  formerly  used  in 
England,  and  was  so  stiff  as  to  require  great  strength  or  skill 
to  bend  it.  It  became  a  much  more  effective  weapon  after 
the  introduction  of  steel  or  iron  arrow-heads.  Clubs,  some- 
times studded  with  flints,  with  the  bow  and  tomahawk,  con- 
stituted the  principal  weapons  of  the  race.  Daggers  of  flint 
or  bone,  and  shields  of  buffalo-hide,  were  in  use  among  some 
of  the  Western  tribes. 

The  habitations  and  clothing  of  the  Indians  varied  greatly 
with  the  temperature  of  the  climate.  In  the  warm  regions 
of  the  South,  a  slight  covering  proved  sufficient,  while  to 
resist  the  severity  of  a  New  England  winter  very  efficient 
precautions  were  taken.  The  usual  manner  of  building  their 
wigwams  was  by  fixing  a  row  of  poles  firmly  in  the  ground, 
in  the  form  of  a  circle,  and  then  bending  and  confining  the 
tops  together  in  the  centre.  A-  hole  was  left  for  the  smoke  i 
of  the  fire  to  escape,  at  the  top  of  the  cabin  ;  every  other  part  i 
being  warmly  and  closely  covered  with  matting.  A  tight 
screen  hung  over  the  doorway,  which  was  raised  when  any 
one  entered,  and  then  allowed  to  fall  into  its  place. 

A  species  of  matting  was  prepared  by  peeling  the  bark 
from  trees,  and  subjecting  it,  packed  in  layers,  to  a  heavy 
pressure.  With  this  material,  or  with  mats  woven  from 
rushes,  etc.,  the  walls  of  the  huts  were"  so  closely  thatched, 


INDIAN  MASSACRES, 

as  to  effectually  resist  wind  and  weather,  however  stormy  au  1 
cold. 

Some  of  these  wigwams  were  of  great  size,  being  from  fifty 
to  a  hundred  feet  in  length,  but  the  generality  were  of  di- 
mensions suitable  to  a  single  family.  Their  bedding  ton- 
sisted  of  mattresses  disposed  in  bunks  attached  to  the  walls, 
or  upon  low  movable  couches.  Bear  and  deer  skins  fur- 
nished additional  covering.  Their  other  furniture  and  house- 
hold utensils  were  simple  in  the  extreme.  Clay  or  earthern 
pots,  wooden  platters,  bowls  and  spoons,  and  pails  ingenious- 
ly fashioned  of  birch  bark,  served  their  purpose  for  cookery 
and  the  table.  They  were  skilled  in  basket-making. 

In  many  of  their  towns  and  villages,  the  wigwams  were 
set  in  orderly  rows,  with  an  open  space  or  court  near  the 
centre ;  while  th«  whole  was  surrounded  by  a  strong  palisade, 
having  but  one  or  two  narrow  entrances. 

The  clothing  of  the  Indians  consisted  mostly  of  skins, 
dressed  with  no  little  skill.  Leggins  of  deer  skins,  with  a 
hand's  breadth  of  the  material  hanging  loose  at  the  side 
seam,  and  often  highly  ornamented  with  fringe  and  em- 
broidery ;  moccasins  of  buck,  elk,  or  buffalo  skin ;  and  a  gar- 
ment of  various  fashion,  from  a  simple  cincture  about  the 
loins,  to  a  warm  and  ornamental  mantle  or  coat,  completed 
the  equipment  of  the  men. 

The  women  wore  a  short  frock,  reaching  to  the  knees ;  their 
covering  for  the  legs  and  feet  .was  similar  to  that  worn  by 
the  men.  Ornamental  mantles, covere  1  with  neatly  arranged 
feathers,  were  in  vogue.  Colored  porcupine  quills  were  in 
general  use,  both  for  stitching  and  ornamenting  the  clothing 
and  other  equipments. 

A  fondness  for  gay  colors  and  gaudy  decorations  was  con- 
spicuous in  all  the  tribes.  From  pocone  and  other  roots  •  a 
brilliant  red  paint  or  dye  was  prepared,  with  which  and  other 
pigments,  as  charcoal,  earths,  and  extracts  from  the  barks 
of  certain  trees,  they  painted  their  bodies,  either  to  make  a 
a  terrible  impression  on  their  enemies,  or  simply  to  bedeck 
themselves  in  becoming  manner  in  tne  eyes  of  their  friends. 
The  usual  savage  custom  of  wearing  pendants  at  the  ears 
was  common. 

The  "qua-hog"  or  round  clam  furnished  the  principal 
material  for  money  or  wampum,  the  variegated  purple  por- 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  1  I 

tions  of  the  shell  being  much  the  most  valuable.  The  great 
labor  in  preparing  it  was  the  borin  g,  which  was  effected  by 
a  sharp  flint.  When  we  consider  the  slow  nature  of  such  a 
process,  we  can  scarcely  credit  the  accounts  siven  of  the  im- 
mense quantities  of  wampum  that  were  procured  by  the 
white  colo  nists,  while  it  retained  its  value  in  exchange  for 
European  commodities,  or  which  were  exacted  as  tribute, 
in  atonement  for  national  offences.  With  this  "wompom- 
peague"  they  paid  tribute,  redeemed  captives,  satisfied  for 
murders  and  other  wrongs,  purchased  peace  \vith  t  ieir  po- 
tent neighbors,  as  occasion  required;  in  a  word,  it  answered 
on  all  occasions,  with  them,  as  gold  and  silver  doth  with  us. 
They  delighted  much  in  having  and  using  knives,  combs, 
scissors,  hatchets,  hoes,  guns,  needles,  awls,  looking-glasses 
an  1  such  like  necessaries  which  they  purchased  of  the  En- 
glish and  Dutch  with  their  "peague,"  and  then  sold  them 
their  peltry  for  their  "wompeague." 

The  principal  articles  of  food  used  by  the  aborigines  were 
the  products  of  the  chase,fish,  beans,  some  species  of  squashes 
and  pumpkins,  and  maize  or  Indian  Corn.  Wild  rice,growing 
in  rich  wet  land  in  the  interior  of  the  country,  furnished  a 
wholesome  and  easily  gathered  supply  of  farinaceous  food  to 
the  tribes  of  the  temperate  portion  of  the  United  States.  Shell 
fish  were  a  very  important  addition  to  the  resources  of  those 
who  dwelt  near  the  sea-coa  t,  and  in  the  interior,  various 
species  of  wild  roots,  and  certain  nutritious  bark  supplied 
the  failure  of  the  cultivated  crop,  and  furnished  the  means 
to  eke  out  a  subsistence  when  the  hunt  was  unsuccessful  or 
the  last  year's  stores  had  boo*  consumed  before  the  season 
of  harvest.  The  use  of  milk  was  entirely  unknDwn  to  the 
Indians  until  the  white  man  taught  them  its  value. 


INDIAN  MASSACRES, 


CHAPTER  II. 

FIRST  TBOUBLES  WITH  WHITE  MEN— FLOEIDA  INDIANS. 

LITTLE  is  known  of  the  history  of  American  Indians  previ- 
ous to  the  discoveries  by  Spaniards.  It  was  unfortunate 
that  these  early  voyagers  were  mo'stly  hard-hearted  men. 
In  almost  every  instance  of  first  contact  with  the  aborigines 
deeds  of  violence  were  unnecessarily  committed  by  the  in- 
vaders. If  they  did  not  kill,  they  generally  managed  to  en- 
tice a  few  of  them  aboard  their  ships,  and  conveyed  them  to 
Europe  as  vouchers  of  the  truth  of  their  reports.  Columbus, 
on  his  first  voyage  in  1492,  carried  away  a  number  of  natives 
to  Spain.  Only  seven  survived  the  sea  voyage,  and  these 
were  presented  to  King  Ferdinand.  The  blodd  of  several  In- 
dians was  shed  by  Columbus'  crew.  Sebastian  Cabot  gave 
three  Newfoundlanders  to  Henry  VII.  In  1508  the  French 
discovered  the  St. Lawrence  and  on  their  return  carried  off 
several  Indians  to  Paris. 

The  adventures  of  Spaniards  with  the  Indians  ot  Florida 
are  among  the  earliest,  chronologically,  and  are  very  thrilling 
in  interest.  Juan  Ponce  de  Leon,  governor  of  Porto  Eico, 
was  led  by  Indian  fables  in  1512  to  search  the  low  islands  of 
the  coast  for  a  fountain  that  should  bestow  perp'etutU  youth. 
All  of  North  America,  to  the  northward  and  eastward  of  Mex- 
ico, went  by  the  name  of  Florida,  before  English  settlements 
were  made  upon  the  coast.  Failing  in  his  first  search,  Leon 
undertook  a  second  expedition  into  the  unknown  world,  in 
hopes  of  finding  mines  of  the  precious  metals,  but  was  killed 
in  a  fight  with  the  natives. 

The  perfidious  Luke  Valasquez  de  Ayllon,  in  1518,  visited 
Florida,  to  procure  gold  and  slaves.  The  kindly  natives, 
whom  he  tempted  on  board,  were  shut  under  hatches,  and 
conveyed  to  Cuba.  Returning  again  to  the  country,  he  and 
his  party  were  justly  punished  for  their  treachery,  nearly  al£ 
of  them  being  slain  by  the  inhabitants,  \vho,  mindful  of  for- 
mer injuries,  rose  upon  them  unawares.  Those  who  had 
been  carried  into  servitude  mostly  perished,  by  volu&tary 
starvation,  grief  and  despair. 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  13 

The  Indians  of  Florida  showed  a  great  degree  of  resolution 
and  desperate  valor,  in  defending  their  bomes  against  the 
murderous  Spaniards.  Unappalled  by  the  terrible  execution 
of  the  unknown  weapons  of  their  enemies,  who,  mounted  up- 
on horses  i  hitherto  unknown  in  the  country)  and  clad  in  de- 
fensive armor,  presented  a  novel  spectacle  to  their  wonder- 
ing eyes,  they  disputed  the  invaded  territory  inch  by  inch. 

Pamphilo  de  Narvaez,  in  April  1528,  with  a  commission 
from  Charles  the  Fifth  to  conquer  and  take  possession,  land- 
ed four  hundred  men  and  forty  or  fifty  horses  at  East  Flori- 
da. Penetrating  the  wilderness,  they  crossed  the  country  to 
Appalache.  Finding  no  gold,  and  but  little  provision  at  this 
town,  from  which  they  drove  out  the  inhabitants,  the  Span- 
iards shaped  their  course  toward  Aute,  only  to  find  it  burned 
and  deserted  by  its  inhabitants.  Many  of  the  party  having 
already  perished,  the  rest,  hopeless  of  making  further  prog- 
ress by  land,  set  to  work  to  construct  boats  in  which  they 
might  reach  a  port  of  safety.  With  singular  ingenuity  they 
prepared  tools  from  the.  iron  of  their  accoutrements ;  and, 
with  no  further  materials  than  were  furnished  by  the  pro- 
ductions of  the  forest,  aud  the  manes,  tails,  and  skins  of  their 
horses,  five  small  boats  were  built.  They  embarked  and  set 
sail,  but  nearly  all  perished,  either  by  famine  or  by  the  dan- 
garo  of  the  sea.  Only  a  handful  of  the  number  were  ever 
,  from,  among  whom  was  Alvar  Funez  Cabeza  de  Vaca. 
With  only  four  companions  he  kept  on  his  course  to  the 
West,  and,  after  years  of  peril,  reached  the  Spanish  settle- 
ments of  Mexico. 

The  next  Spanish  expedition  to  Florida  was  that  of  Fernan- 
do de  Soto,  who  writh  seven  ships  of  his  own  providing,  and 
accompanied  by  from  six  hundred  to  one  thousand  warlike 
and  energetic  adventurers,  many  of  whom  were  of  noble 
rank,  he  set  sail,  in  April  1538.  Upward  of  a  year  was  spent, 
mostly  upon  the  island  of  Cuba,  before  the  fleet  set  sail  for 
the  Florida  coast.  In  May  1539,  the  vessels  camb  to  anchor 
off  Tampa  Bay,  and  a  large  division  of  soldiers,  both  horse 
and  foot,  were  landed.  The  I  ndians  had  taken  the  alarm, 
ar..  1,  although  the  smoke  of  their  fires  had  been  seen  from 
ship-board  in  various  directions,  all  had  fled  from  the  district, 
or  lay  concealed  in  the  thickets.  Some  skirmishes  tjok  place 
near  the  point  of  landing,  and  the  Spaniards  speedily  pos- 


H  INDIAN  MAfcSACKEH. 

seesed  themselves  of  the  nearest  village,  where  were  the  head- 
quarters of  the  Hiriga,  the  chief. 

At  the  inland  extremity  of  the  town  stood  the  temple  de- 
voted by  the  Indians  to  religious  observances.  Over  the  en- 
trance was  the  wooden  figure  of  a  fowl,  having  the  eyes  gild- 
ed— placed  there  for  the  purpose  of  ornament.  Cle, 
war*  now  made  around  the  village  to  give  free  scope  to  the 
cavalry,  and  parties  were  sent  out  to  explore  the  country, 
and  to  make  prisoners  who  should  serve  as  guides  or  hos 
tages.  The  remembrance  of  outrages  committed  upon  him- 
self and  his  people  by  Narvaez,  had  so  embittered  Hiriga 
against  the  whites,  that  no  professions  of  friendship  and  good 
will  could  appease  his  hatred.  In  the  tangled  forests  the  In- 
dians were  found  to  be  no  contemptible  opponents.  Their 
bows  and  arrows'wero  so  effective  that  coats  of  mail  did  not 
prove  a  sufficient  protection  against  their  force.  The  arrow? 
were  headed,  as  usual,  with  stone,  or  with  fish-bones;  those 
which  were  made  of  canes  or  reeds  produced  the  deadliest 
effect. 

A  party,  under  Gallegos,  scouring  the  country  a  few  miles 
from  the  camp  attacked  M  small  body  of  Indians,  and  put 
them  to  flight ;  but,  as  a  horsemau.  was  charging  with  his 
lance  at  one  of  the  number,  he  was  amazed  to  hear  him  cry 
out:  "  i-irs,  I  am  a  Christian  ;  do  not  kill  me,  nor  these p  .or 
men,  who  have  given  me  my  life/'  Naked,  sun-burned,  and 
painted,  this  man  was  scarcely  distinguishable  from  his  wild 
associates.  His  name  was  John  Ortiz,  and  he  had  lived  with 
the  Indians  twelve  years,  being  one  of  the  few  followers  of 
Narvaez  who  escaped  destruction  Since  the  disastrous  fail 
lire  of  that  expedition  ho  had  made  his  way  to  Cuba  in  a 
small  boat,  and  had  returned  again  to  Florida  in  a  small  ves- 
sel sent  in  quest  of  the  lost  party.  The  Indians  enticed  a  fo'.v 
of  the  crew  on  shore,  and  made  them  prisoners.  Orti 
among  the  number,  and  was  the  only  one  who  escaped  im- 
mediate death.  After  amusing  themselves  by  various  ex- 
pedients to  Unify  and  torment  their  captive,  the  sava<- 
the  command  of  Hiriga,  bound  him  to  four  stakes,  and  kin- 
dled afire  beneath  him.  He  was  preserved,  oven  in  this  ex- 
tremity, by  the  compassionate  entreaties  and  persuasions  of 
a  daughter  of  the  chief.  His  burns  having  been  healed,  he 
was  deputed  to  keep  watch  over  tho  temple  where  the  bodies 


INDIAN  MAS. 

of  the  dead  were  deposited,  to  defend  them  from  attacks  of 
wolves.  His  vigilance  and  resolution,  in  dispatching  a  wolf, 
whi  h  had  seized  the  body  of  a  child  of  oie  of  tha  principal 
chiefs,  aroused  a  kindly  feeling  toward  him,  and  he  was  well 
used  for  three  years.  At  the  end  of  that  time  Hiriga,  haying 
been  worsted  in  a  fight  withMoscoso,  a  hostile  chief, thought 
it  necessary  or  expedient  to  make  a  sacrifice  of  his  Christian 
subject  to  the  devil.  Forewarned  of  this  dai.ger  by  his  for- 
mer benefactress,  Ortiz  fled  in  the  night  toward  the  country 
of  Moscoso.  Upon  first  meeting  with  the  subjects  of  this 
chief,  he  was  in  great  danger  from  the  want  of  an  interpreter 
to  explain  whence  he  came,  and  what  was  his  errand ;  but,  at 
last,  finding  an  Indian  who  understood  the  language  of  the 
people  with  whom  he  had  lived,  he  quieted  the  suspicions  of 
his  hosts,  and  remained  with  them  in  friendship  no  less  than 
nine  years.  Moscoso,  hearing  of  the  arrival  of  De  Soto,  gen- 
erously furnished  his  captive  with  an  escort,  and  gave  him 
free  permission  to  return  to  his  countrymen. 

De  Soto  now  concluded  to  send  his  vessels  back  to  Cuba, 
and,  leaving  a  strong  guard  in  Hiriga's  country,  proceeded 
northward  to  Vitachuco.  The  treacherous  chief  pretended 
friendship,  but  prepared  for  an  overwhelming  attack.  The 
vigilance  of  John  Ortiz,  however,  averted  the  catastrophe. 
The  cacique,  or  chief,  was  secured,  and  his  army  routed. 
Many  of  the  fugitives  were  driven  into  a  lake,  where  they 
concealed  themselves  by  covering  their  heads  with  the  leaves 
of  water-lilies.  The  lake  was  surrounded  by  the  Spanisii 
troops,  but  such  was  the  resolution  of  the  Indians,  that  they 
remained  the  whole  night  immersed  in  water,  and,  on  the 
following  day,  when  the  rest  had  delivered  themselves  up, 
being  constrained  by  the  sharpness  of  the  cold  they  had  en- 
dured in  the  water,  twelve  still  held  out,  resolving  to  die 
rather  than  surrender.  Chilled  and  stupefied  by  exposure, 
these  were  dragged  ashore  by  some  Indians  of  Paracoxi,  be- 
longing to  De'Soto's  party,  who  swam  after  them,  and  seized 
them  by  the  hair. 

Ithough  a  prisoner,  with  his  chief  warriors  reduced  to  the 
Condition  of  servants,  Vitachuco  did  not  lay  aside  his  daring 
purposes  of  revenge.  He  managed  to  circulate  the  order 
among  his  men,  that  on  a  day  appointed,  while  the  Spaniards 
were  at  dinner,  every  Indian  should  attack  the  one  nearest 


INDIAN  MASSACKES. 

him  with  whatever  weapon  came  to  hand.  When  the  time 
arrived,  Vitaclmco,  who  was  seated  at  the  generals  table, 
rallying  himself  for  a  desperate  effort,  sprang  upon  his  host, 
and  endeavored  to  strangle  him.  ''This  blade,"  says  the 
Portugese  narrator,  "  fell  upon  the  general;  but  before  he 
could  get  his  two  hands  to  his  throat,  he  gave  him  saeh  a 
furious  blow  with  his  list  upon  the  fa^e  that  he  put  him  all  in 
a  gore  of  blood."  De  Soto  would  have  doubtless  perished  by 
the  unarmed  hands  of  the  muscular  chief  had  not  his  attend- 
ants despatched  the  assailant. 

All  the  other  prisoners  followed  their  cacique's  example. 
Catching  at  the  Spaniards'  arms,  or  the  "  pounder  wherewith 
they  pounded  the  maize,"  each  set  upon  his  master  there- 
with, or  on  the  first  that  fell  into  his  hands.  They  made 
use  of  the  lances  or  swords  they  met  with,  as  skilfully 
as  if  they  had  been  bred  to  it  from  childhood  ;  so  that  one  of 
them,  with  sword  in  hand,  made  head  against  fifteen  or  twen- 
ty ^men  in  the  open  place,  until  he  was  killed  by  the  govern- 
or's halberdiers.  Another  desperate  warrior,  with  only  a 
lanee,  kept  possession  of  the  room  where  the  Indian  corn  was 
stored,  and  could  not  be  dislodged.  He  was  shot  through  an 
aperture  in  the  roof.  The  Indians  were  at  last  overpowered, 
and  all  who  had  not  perished  in  the  struggle,  were  bound  to 
stakes  and  put  to  death.  Their  executioners  were  the  In- 
dians of  Paracoxi,  who  shot  them  with  arrows. 

De  Soto,  about  the  last  of  November,  sent  a  detachment 
back  to  the  bay  of  Espiritu  Santo,  with  directions  for  two 
caravels  to  repair  to  Cuba,  aoid  the  other  vessels,  which  had 
not  already  been  ordered  home,  to  come  round  by  sea  and 
join  him  at  Palache.  Twenty  Indian  women  were  sent  as  a 
present  to  the  general's  wife,  Donna  Isabella, 

De  Sota  died  upon  the  Red  river,  and  those  of  his  compan- 
ions who  escaped  death  from  exposure,  disease,  or  savage 
weapons,  years  after  the  events  above  described,  made  their 
way  down  the  Mississippi  to  the  <£u7*,  and  thencG  reacted  ^ne 
Spanish  provinces  of  Mexico. 


INDIAN  MASSACRES. 


CHAPTEK  III. 

VIRGINIA  INEIANS — ADVENTURES   OF  CAPT.    JOHN   SMITH. 

IN  1584  Sir  "Walter  Kaleigh,  under  a  patent  from  Queen 
Elizabeth,  sent  out  two  small  vessels,  which  duly  arrived  at 
the  island  of  Eoanoke,  where  the  voyagers  were  royally  en- 
tertained by  Winginia,  King  of  the  country,  and  his  wife. 
Sir  Walter  christened  the  land  Virgin  ia  in  honor  of  the 
queen. 

Sir  Pdchard  Grenville  visited  Virginiain  1585  and  left  over 
100  men  to  form  a  settlement  at  Koanoke.  All  returned,  how- 
ever, within  a  year. 

The  most  complete  account  of  the  aboriginal  inhabitants 
of  Virginia,  particularly  those  who  dwelt  in  the  eastern  por- 
tion of  that  district  upon  the  rivers  and  the  shores  of  Chesa- 
peake Bay,  is  contained  in  the  narrative  of  Captain  John 
Smith.  This  bold  and  energetic  pioneer,  joined  his  fortunes 
to  those  of  Bartholomew  Gosnoll  and  his  party,  who  sailed 
from  England  on  the  19th  of  December,  1606,  and  soon  be- 
came leader  ia  the  colony  he  brought  from  the  mother- 
country. 

Smith,  with  a  barge  and  boat's  crew,  undertook  an  explor* 
ation  of  the  sources  of  the  Chickahominy,  which  empties 
into  James  river,  a  few  miles  above  Jamestown.  After 
making  his  way  for  about  fifty  miles  up  the  stream,  his  prog- 
ress was  so  impeded  by  fallen  trees  and  the  narrowness  of 
the  channel,  that. he  left  the  boat  and  crew  in  a  sort  of  bay, 
and  proceeded  in  a  canoe,  accompanied  only  by  two  English- 
men and  two  Indian  guides.  The  men  left  in  charge  of  the 
boat,  disregarding  his  orders  to  stay  on  board  till  his  return, 
were  set  upon  by  a  great  body  of  natives,  and  one  of  their 
number,  George  Cassen,  was  taken  prisoner.  Having  com-  ' 
pelled  their  captive  to  disclose  the  intentions  and  position 
of  the  captain,  these  savages  proceeded  to  put  him  to  death 
in  a  most  barbarous  manner,  severing  his  limbs  at  the  joints 
with  shells,  and  burning  them  before  his  face.  As  they 
dared  not  attack  the  armed  company  in  the  boat,  all  hands 
then  set  out  in  hot  pursuit  of  Smith. 

Coming  upon  the  little  party  among  the  marshes,  they 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.      * 

shot  the  two  Englishmen  as  they  were  sleeping  by  the  canoe ; 
and,  to  the  number  of  over  two  hundred,  surrounded  the 
gallant  captain,  who,  accompanied  by  one  of  his  guides,  was 
out  with  his  gun  in  search  of  game.  Binding  the  Indian  fast 
to  his  arm,  with  a  garter,  as  a  protection  from  the  shafts  of 
the  enemy,  Smith  made  such  good  use  of  his  gun  that  he 
killed  three  of  his  assailants  and  wounded  several  otheis. 
The  whole  body  stood  at  some  distance,  stricken  with  terror 
at  «,ne  unwonted  execution  of  his  weapon,  while  he  slowly 
retired  toward  the  canoe.  Unfortunately,  attempting  to 
cross  a  creek  with  a  miry  bottom,  he  stuck  fast,  together 
with  his  guide,  and,  becoming  benumbed  with  cold,  he  threw 
away  his  arms,  and  surrendered  himself.  Delighted  with 
their  acquisition,  the  savages  took  him  to  the  fire,  and  re- 
stored animation  to  his  limbs  by  warmth  and  friction.  He 
immediately  set  himself  about  conciliating  the  king,  and 
presenting  him  with  an  ivory  pocket  compass,  proceeded  to 
explain  its  use.  Perhaps  with  a  view  of  trying  his  courage, 
they  bound  him  to  a  tree,  and  all  made  ready  to  let  fly  their 
arrows  at  him,  but  were  stayed  by  a  sign  from  the  chief. 
They  then  carried  him  to  Orapaks,  where  he  was  well  fed, 
and  treated  with  kindness.  When  they  reached  the  town,  a 
strange  savage  dance  wTas  performed  around  the  chief  and 
his  captive,  by  the  whole  body  of  warriors. 

Although  the  Indians  would  not,  as  yet,  eat  with  their 
prisoner,  he  was  so  feasted  that  a  suspicion  arose  in  his  mind 
that  they  "  would  fat  him  to  eat  him."  One  of  the  old  war- 
riors, whose  son  had  been  wounded  at  the  time  of  the  capt- 
ure, was  with  difficulty  restrained  from  killing  him.  The 
young  Indian  was  at  his  last  gasp,  but  Smith,  wishing  to 
send  information  to  Jamestown,  said  that  he  had  there  a 
medicine  of  potent  effect.  The  messengers  sent  on  this  er- 
rand made  their  way  to  Jamestown,  carrying  a  note  from 
Smith.  They  returned,  bringing  with  them  the  articles  re- 
quested in  the  letter,  to  the  wonder  of  all  that  heard  it,  for 
they  thought  he  could  either  divine,  or  the  paper  could 
speak. 

A  plan  was  at  that  time  on  foot  to  make  an  attack  upon  the 
colony,  and  such  rewards  as  were  in  their  power  to  bestow— 
''life,  liberty,  land  and  women"— were  proffered  to  Smith  by 
tbe  Indians,  if  he  would  lend  his  assistance.  They  made  a 


INDIAN  MASSACi  19 

triumphal  progress  with  their  i.lustrious  captive,  among  the 
tribes  on  the  Kappahanock  and  Potomac  rivers,  and  else- 
where. At  Painaunkee,  a  solemn  incantation  was  performed 
with  a  view  to  ascertain  his  real  feelings  toward  them.  Hav- 
ing seated  him  upon  a  mat  before  a  fire,  in  one  of  the  larger 
cabins,  ail  retired,  and  presently  there  came  skipping  in  a 
great  grim  fellow,  all  painted,  with  a  hellish  voice  and  a  rat- 
tle in  his  hand.  He  sprinkled  a  circle  of  meal  about  the 
lire,  and  commenced  his  conjuration.  Six  more  similar 
devils  then  entered,  and  having  danced  about  him  for  a 
time,  sat  down  and  sang  a  wild  song.  The  chief  conj  uror 
next  laid  down  five  kernels  of  corn,  and  proceeded  to  make 
an  extravagant  oration.  At  the  conclusion  they  all  gave  a 
short  groan,  and  then  laid  down  three  grains  more.  The 
operation  was  continued  till  they  had  twice  incircled  the  fire 
and  was  then  varied  by  using  sticks  instead  of  corn.  Three 
days  were  spent  in  these  wearisome  barbarities,  each  day 
passed  in  fasting,  and  the  nights  being  as  regularly 
ushered  in  with  feasts.  Smith  was,  after  this,  entertained 
with  the  best  of  cheer  at  the  house  of  , a  brother  to  the  king. 
He  still  observed  that  not  one  of  the  men  would  eat  with  him, 
but  the  remains  of  the  feast  were  given  him  to  be  distributed 
among  the  women  and  children. 

The  great  monarch  of  the  country,  Powhatan,  at  this 
period,  was  holding  his  court  on  the  bank  of  York  river,  and 
thither  S  «iih  was  conveyed  to  await  the  royal  pleasure. 
The  reception  of  so  important  a  captive  was  conducted  with 
suitable  solemnity  and  parade.  Powhatan  sat  upon  a  raised 
seat  before  a  fire'.  He  was  about  sixty  years  of  age,  of  noble 
figure,  and  commanding  presence.  A  young  girl  sat  on  each 
r  the  king,  and  marshalled  around  the  room  were  rows 
of  warriors  and  women,  bedecked  with  beads,  feathers  and 
{Taint.  Smith's  entrance  was  hailed  by  a  shout;  the  queen 
brought  him  water  to  wash,  and  he  was  magnificently  enter- 
tained. Having  ended  his  repast,  a  long  consultation  was 
held,  when  two  great  stones  were  brought  before  Powhatan ; 
then  as  many  as  could,  laid  hands  on  the  captive,  dragged 
him  to  them,  and  thereon  laid  his  head,  and  being  ready 
wi;h  their  olubs  to  beat  out  hia  brains,  Pocahontas,  the 
king's  nearest  (laugat^r,  when  no  entreaty  could  prevail,  got 
his  head  in  her  aims,  and  laid  her  own  upon  his  to  save  him 


20  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

death  :  whereat  the  Emperor  was  contented  he  should 


live. 

Of  late  years  strong  doubt  has  been  entertained  as  to  the 
truth  of  Captain  Smith's  story  about  Ponahontas. 

After  two  days  of  friendly  intercourse,  Smith  was  informed 
that  he  might  return  in  safety  to  Jamestown  ;  but  as  a  pre- 
lude to  the  conveyance  of  this  satisfactory  intelligence,  Pow- 
hatan  was  at  much  pains  to  get  up  a  theatrical  scene  that 
should  terrify  his  prisoner.  Loft  alone  in  a  large  cabin, 
Smith's  ears  were  saluted  by  frightful  noises  from  behind  a 
mat  partition,  and,  soon  Powhatan,  with  hundreds  of  attend- 
ants, in  hideous  disguises,  made  his  appearance.  He  ap- 
pointed twelve  Indians  to  guide  him  to  the  settlement,-  re- 
questing that  a  grindstone  and  two  great  guns  should  be 
sent  back  by  them  in  return  for  liberty.  Captain  Smith 
felt  little  security-  or  easo  until  he  was  safely  restored  to  his 
companions  at  Jamestown.  Two  demi-culv^rins,  together 
with  a  millstone,  were  proffered  to  the  guides;  but,  seeing 
the  terrible  effect  of  a  discharge  of  stones  among  the 
branches  of  an  ice-covered  tree,  the  poor  savages  were  great- 
ly terrified,  and  accepted  divers  toys  in  place  of  so  weighty 
and  dangerous  a  present. 

So  reduced  were  the  settlers  at  this  time,  that  all  must 
have  perished  with  starvation  but  for  the  intercourse  estab- 
ished  by  Smith  between  the  in  and  the  people  of  Powhatan  . 
Every  four  or  five  days,  his  noble  and  generous  little  pro- 
cess, Pocahontas—  she  was  then  only  about  ten  years  of 
age  -would  make  her  appearance,  accompanied  by  attend- 
ants laden  with  provisions.  Part  of  these  supplies  came  as 
presents  from  the  king  or  his  daughter;  for  the  rest,  the 
price  paid  in  toys  and  articles  of  use  was  left  entirely  at 
Smith's  discretion. 

Captains  Newport  and  Nelson  now  arrived  from  England 
with  t»vo  ships,  laden  with  necessaries  and  articles  of  traffic. 
Rejoiced  at  the  arrival  of  friends  and  pro  visions,  the  colonists 
allowed  the  sailors  to  hold  what  intercourse  they  pleased 
with  the  natives,  and  the  consequence  was  that  the  market 
was  soon  spoiled  by  the  irregularity  of  prices  offered  by  the 
English  for  Indian  commodities.  Smith  had  possessed  Pow- 
atan  and  his  people  with  extravagant  ideas  of  the  power  and 
majesty  of  Newport,  whose  speedy  arrival  he  predicted,  and 


INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

preparations  were  now  made  to  give  a  still  more  forcible  im- 
pression. Messengers  were  sent  to  inform  the  Indian  mon- 
arch that  the  great  captain  of  the  seas  had  reached  James- 
town, and  would  make  a  visit  to  his  royal  friend  and  ally. 

Powhatan  received  the  officers  with  the  greatest  dis- 
tinction. .He  declined  any  petty  traffic,  but  requested  New- 
port to  bring  forward  at  once  ail"  the  goods  that  he  had 
brought  for  trade,  expressing  his  vdllingness  to  give  full  re- 
turn. His  desire  v, as  complied  v.ith,  Newport  wishing  to 
outdo  the  king  in  generosity ;  but  the  result  hardly  equalled 
his  expectation,  for  the  cunning  savage  valued  his  corn  at 
such  a  rate  that  the  English  thought  it  cheaper  in  Spain.  A 
few  blue  beads  in  the  possession  of  Smith  caught  the  eye  of 
Powhatan,  and  aroused  his  curiosity  and  avarice.  The  wary 
captain  pretended  to  be  loth  to  part  with  them,  as  being  of  a 
rare  substance  worn  by  the  greatest  kings  in  the  world.  To 
obtain  them,  Powhatan  readily  paid  an  immense  quantity  of 
corn.  The  trade  in  blue  beads,  after  this,  became  a  royal 
monopoly. 

On  the  2nd  day  of  June  1608,  Smith  set  out  upon  his  explor- 
ation of  Chesapeake  bay.  His  companions  numbered  four- 
teen and  their  boat  was  an  open  barge.  As  they  coasted 
along  the  eastern  shore,  everywhere  the  greatest  astonish- 
ment and  fright  wore  manifested  by  the  savages.  The  dis- 
charge of  the  guns  invariably  filled  them  with  terror.  Be- 
fore reaching  the  head  of  the  bay  Smith  was  compelled  to 
turn  back,  owing  to  the  fatigue  of  his  men,  who  were  unac- 
customed to  such  exposure. 

On  the  2ith  of  July  a  second  expedition  up  the  Chesapeake 
was  undertaken.  Encountering  a  fierce  tribe  belonging  to 
the  redoubtable  Iroquois  or  Six  Nations  of  what  wTas  after- 
ward New  York  state,  they  pacified  them  and  obtained 
of  their  shields,  with  which  they  fortified  their  boat ;  remind- 
ing one  in  this  of  Stanley,  the  African  explorer,  who  did  the 
same  in  his  immortal  descent  of  the  Congo  river.  Upon  one 
occasion,  while  Smith  wns  exploring  the  Eappahannock 
river,  he  was  attacked  by  a  party  of  Eappahaniiocks,  who 
were  so  cunningly  disguised  with  bushes  that  they  were  sup- 
posed to  be  a  natural  growth  of  trees  on  the  shore.  On  these 
two  voyages  Chesapeake  bay  was  surveyed  and  an  accurate 
chart  of  the  entire  country  drawn  up. 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  2'.  I 


Great  distress  was  experienced  from  want  «f  f«*d,  »md 
every  means  was  resorted  to  in  order  to  procure  it  from  tk« 
Indians.  Powha&in  had  come  to  despise  th©  Jamestown 
colony,  owing  to  a  foolish  coronation  scene  by  Newport, 
who  had  recently  arrived  from  ED  gland  with  a  crowd  of  use- 
less adventurers. 

iThe  splendor  of  the  articles  of  coronation  fairly  turned  the 
head  of  Pewhatan,  who  became  treacherous  toward  Smith 
and  tried  to  kill  him  when  he  came  to  barter  for  corn.  But 
the  daring  captain  performed  prodigies  of  valor  in  repelling 
attacks  single-handed.  His  Indian  angel,  the  friendly  little 
Pocahontas,  came  at  night  to  warn  him  of  an  attack.  Pow- 
hatan  decoyed  Smith  and  his  "  old  fifteen  "  into  his  house, 
and  was  profuse  in  his  offers  of  provision  and  friendship; 
but  in  the  meantime  an  ambuscade  had  surrounded  the 
house.  Smith  was  urged  to  come  out  to  the  door  to  receive 
his  presents  ;  but  he  saw  that  "  the  bait  was  guarded  with 
at  least  two  hundred  men,  and  thirty  lying  under  a  groat 
tree  (placed  athwart  as  a  barricade),  each  with  his  arrow 
ready  to  shoot."  Smith,  perceiving  th3  plan  to  betray  him, 
sprang  upon  the  king,  >eizing  him  by  the  hair,  and,  holding 
a  pistol  to  his  breast,  led  him  forth  ;  where,  making  a  terri- 
ble speech  before  the  people,  he  succeeded  in  gaining  peace 
and  provisions. 

Several  incidents  occurred  about  this  time  which  tended  to 
establish  the  power  of  Smith  over  the  savages.  One  was  the 
explosion  of  a  quantity  of  gun-powder  which  the  Indians 
were  trying  to  dry  upon  a  plate  of  armor  as  they  had  seen  the 
English  do.  Another  was  the  affair  of  the  pistol  and  the 
charcoa-i.  An  Indian  had  stolen  one  of  these  weapons  :  his 
two  brothers  were  seized  by  Smith  as  pledges;  one  of  them 
was  sent  in  search  of  the  pistol,  and  told  that  his  brother 
would  l)e  hanged  in  twelve  hours  if  it  wore  not  returned. 
The  one  who  was  retain;1  1  was  placed  in  a  dungeon.  Smith, 
pitying  the  poor,  nake  1  savage,  sent  him  some  food  and 
some  c!i  ircoal  for  a  fire.  To  .vari  midnight  the  brother  re- 
turne  i  with  the  weapon,  but  the  poor  fellow  in  the  dungeon 
was  found  stupefied  by  tJio  <-h:irco,il  and  terribly  burned. 
The  lamentations  of  the  brother  were  so  touching  that 
Smith  promised  him.  if  he  would  abstain  from  future  thefts, 
that  he  would  restore  the  captive  to  life.  This  was  accom- 


24  INDIAN  MASSACKES. 

plished  by  the  proper  means,  and  the  rumor  spread  like  wild- 
fire that  the  white  chief  could  bring  the  dead  to  life.  These 
incidents  so  amazed  and  frightened  Powhatan  and  his  people 
that  they  came  in  from  all  quarters  returning  stolen  property. 

In  the  latter  part  of  1SQS)  Captain  Smith  met  with  a  terrible 
accident  by  the  firing  of  a  bag  of  gunpowder.  He  was  so 
fearfully  torn  and  burned  that  he  leaped  into  the  river, 
and  was  with  difficulty,  rescued  from  drowning.  He  was 
obliged  to  go  to  England  to  procure  medical  assistance,  and 
was  never  after  able  to  revisit  the  colony  which  he  had  helped 
to  found. 

After  his  departure  things  went  rapidly  to  ruin,  and  there 
was  a  general  revolt  of  the  Indians.  In  1613,  Pocahontas 
was  captured  and  held  as  a  hostage.  While  she  was  at  James- 
town a  young  Englishman,  John  Kolfe,  became  passionately 
attached  to  her,  and  on  the  first  of  April  they  were  married. 
They  excited  great  attention  everywhere,  even  at  court, 
where  Captain  Smith  made  a  speech  about  her  before  the 
queen.  This  interesting  little  woman  died  in  161 7, as  she  was 
about  to  revisit  America.  She  was  known'as  Rebecca  after 
her  baptism  and  conversion  to  the  Christian  religion.  She 
left  one  child,  Thomas  Kolfe,  who  afterward  lived  in  Virginia, 
and  to  whom  many  old  Virginia  families  still  trace  their 
origin.  Powhatan,  her  father,  died  a  year  later. 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  -  25 


CHAPTER  IV. 

NEW     ENGLAND     INDIANS— THE    PURITANS 'AND    THEIR    THRILLING 
EXPERIENCES    WITH    BED    MEN. 

ON  the  6th  of  September,  1G2),  the  Mayflower,  freighted 
with  forty-one  adventurous  enthusiasts,  sailed  from  Ply- 
mouth in  England ;  and  on  the  Cth  of  the  following  Novem- 
ber arrived  on  the  barren  shores  of  Tape  Cod.  A  few  days 
afterward  a  reconnoitering  party  caught  sight  of  a  small 
number  of  the  natives,  who,  however,  fled  at  their  approach. 
On  the  8th  of  December,  a  slight  and  desultory  action  oc- 
curred, the  Indians  attempting  to  surprise  the  Pilgrims  by 
night.  They  were,  however,  disccmilted  and  compelled  to 
retreat.  On  the  llth  of  December  the  little  baud  lauded,  and 
iixed  their  first  settlement  at  Plymouth. 

In  the  month  of  March  a  peaceful  communication  was  es- 
tablished with  the  natives  through  the  intervention  of  Sam- 
oset.  He  introduced  Tisqua  itum,  or  Squanto,  who  was  one 
of  the  twenty-four  kidnapped  by  Thomas  Hunt,  in  1614.  By 
his  knowledge  of  the  country  and  coast,  and  his  acquaint- 
ance with  their  language,  Squanto  became  of  great  service  to 
the  colonists,  and  continued  their  friend  until  his  death  in 
vhile  he  was  on  his  passage  down  the  coast  for  the  pur- 
pose of  purchasing  corn  and  other  necessaries.  Much  of  ro- 
mantic interest  attaches  to  the  history  and  adventures  of 
this  serviceable  Indian,  both  during  his  captivity  and  after 
his  restoration  to  his  own  country.  Escaping  by  the  assistance 
of  certain  kindly -disposed  monk*,  from  Spain,  where  he, 
with  his  companion^,  had  been  sold  in  slavery,  he  reached 
ud,  and  was  taken  into  the  employment  of  a  London 
merchant.  He  was  brought  back  to  Patuxet,  the  Indian 
name  of  the  country  in  which  the  pilgrims  first  landed,  by 
Captain  Thomas  Dermer,  who  sailed  in  the  employ  of  Sir 
Ferdinando  Gorges,  during  the  summer  preceding  the  ar- 
£  the  May  dower.  After  his  introduction  by  Samoset, 
he  remained  with  his  new  allies,  instructing  them  in  the 
mode  of  raising  corn  and  in  the  best  methods  of  fishing.  By 
the  fi  i  luence  of  ftquanto  and  i-amoset,  who  acted  as 

interpreters,  a  league  of  amity  and  mutual  protection  was  af- 


26  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

feoted  between  the  colony  and  the  powerful  sachem   Massa- 
soit,  father  of  the  still  more  celebrated  Philip. 

In  1622,  two  ships  were  sent  over  from  England  by  Thomas 
Weston,  Vith  a  considerable  number  of  colonists.  A  new 
settlement  waa  formod  by  them  on  Massachusetts  Bay, 
known  as  Weston's  colony.  They  were  mostly  idle  and  im- 
provident fellows  who  had  much  difficulty  in  obtaining  any- 
thing to  eat.  It  was  charged  against  them  that  they  once 
hanged  an  innocent  and  comparatively  worthless  member  of 
the  community  in  order  to  spare  the  life  of  an  able-bodied 
man  who  had  stolen  some  corn  from  the  Indians  and  whose 
life  the  savages  demanded. 

In  1623,  all  the  Indians  of  Eastern  Massachusetts,excepting 
those  under  the  immediate  control  of  their  faithful  ally, 
Massasoit,  made  a  league  to  extirpate  the  colony  at  Wes- 
sagusset  and  probably  that  at  Plymouth  also.  The  plot  was 
betrayed  by  Massasoit,  who  sent  Hobomok,  rival  interpret- 
er of  fequanto,  to  tell  the  Plymouth  people  of  it.  Captain 
Miles  Standish,  with  eight  men,  set  out  for  Wessagusset  to 
crush  this  conspiracy  by  one  terrible  blow.  In  conjunction 
with  Weston's  men  this  little  company  overpowered  the  In- 
dians, killing  six  of  their  number,  among  them  Chief  Witta- 
wamet. 

In  April  of  1637,  an  attack  was  made  upon  the  village  of 
Wethersfleld,  by  a  body  of  Pequots,  assisted  by  other  In- 
dians of  the  vicinity,  whose  enmity  had  been  excited  by  some 
unjust  treatment  on  the  part  of  the  white  inhabitants.  Three 
women  and  six  men  of  the  colonists  were  killed  and  cattle 
and  other  property  destroyed.  Two  young  girls,  daughters 
of  Abraham  Swain,  were  taken  and  carried  into  captivity. 
Their  release  was  afterward  obtained  by  some  Dutch  traders, 
who  inveigled  a  uumber  of  Pequots  on  board  their  vessel, 
and  threatened  to  throw  them  into  the  soa  if  the  girls  were  not 
delivered  up.  During  the  time  that  these  prisoners  were  in 
power  of  the  Indians,  they  received  no  injury,  but  were  treat- 
ed with  uniform  kindness,  a  circumstance  which,  with  many 
Othtrs  of  the  same  nature,  marks  the  character  of  the  bar- 
barians as  being  by  no  means  destitute  of  the  finer  feelings 
of  humanity. 

Th«  settlers  on  the  Connecticut  now.  resolved  upon  active 
operations  against  the  Pequot  tribe.  Although  the  whole 


,  INDIAN  MASSACRES.  27 

number  of  whites  upon  the  river,  capable  of  doing  military 
service,  did  not  exceed  three  hundred,  a  force  of  ninety  men 
was  raised  and  equipped.  Captain  John  Mason,  a  soldier  by 
profession,  and  a  brave  one,  was  appointed  to  the  command 
01  the  expedition. 

The  Pequot  camp  was  upon  the  su limit  of  a  high  rounded 
hill,  still  known  as  Pequot  hill,  in  the  present  town  of  Gro- 
ton,  and  was  considered  by  the  Indians  as  impregnable.  The 
English,  under  Mason,  resolved  on  a  night  attack  upon  the 
palisaded  Pequots,  who  were  sunk  in  sleep  after  a  great  feast 
and  dance.  The  alarm  was  given  by  the  barking  of  a  dog, 
and  the  cry  "  Owannux,  Owannux!  "  was  raised,  this  being 
the  Indian  name  for  the  English.  Mason  and  his  men  rushed 
through  the  narrow  brush-filled  opening  in  the  palisades  and 
fell  upon  the  Pequots  with  fury.  Presently  Muson  resolved 
to  fire  the  wigwams ;  the  dry  material  caught  like  tinder  and 
the  flames  held  carnival  everywhere.  The  Pequots  fought 
desperately,  but  their  bow-strings  snapped  from  the  heat  and 
a  general  massacre  ensued.  About  four  hundred  men,  wom- 
en and  children  wore  destroyed  (most  of  them  burned),  with 
a  loss  of  but  two  killed  on  the  part  of  the  English. 

There  are  preserved  some  thrilling  legends,  moro  or  less 
reliable,  concerning  the  early  warfare  of  the  famous  Iroquois, 
or  Six  Nations,  whose  sway  at  one  time  extended  over  what 
are  now  the  Middle  states,  their  principal  seat  being  in  the 
beautiful  lake  region  of  New  York.  The  bands  composing 
tho  Six  Nations  were  the  Oneidas,  Cayugas,  Onondagas,  Mo- 
hawks, Senecas  and  Tusoaroras.  No  other  American  tribes 
ever  produced  so  many  renowned  warriors  and  orators  as  the 
Iroquois.  Their  chief  enemies  were  the  Delaware s,  Appa- 
lachians and  Cherokees.  One  of  the  Indian  legends  is  to  the 
effect  that  chief  Piskaret  of  the  Adirondacks  started  off  alone 
into  the  enemy's  country,  using  every  precaution  to  avoid 
detection— reversing  his  snow-shoes  and  pursuing  the  most 
unfrequented  routes.  Upon  reaching  an  Iroquois  village  ha 
murdered  and  scalped  for  t\vo  successive  nights ;  on  t  :e  third 
a  watch  was  set  at  every  lodge.  Piskaret  knocked  one  of  th» 
watchmen  on  the  head,  and  then  fled,  hotly  pursued ;  but  he  was 
fleeter  of  foot  than  any  man  of  his  time,  and,  always  mauag- 
ing  to  keep  just  in  sight  of  his  pursuers,  he  enticed  them  to 
a  great  distance  from  their  village.  At  uigiit,  \vhiie  they 


28  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

were  asleep,  overcome  with  fatigue,  he  murdered  the  eufare 
number  and  bagged  their  scalps. 

The  principal  settlements  of  the  Delaware  Indians  lay  be- 
tween the  Hudson  and  the  Potomac.  That  these  savages 
had  many  noble  traits  of  character  all  the  world  knows 
through  the  prominence  given  to  them  by  the  treaty  of  Will- 
iam Penn,  who  came  over  in  1632.  The  grand  treaty-council 
was  held  just  above  Philadelphia.  The  comparatively  mild 
character  of  the  Delawares  may  be  judged  by  the  esteem  and 
veneration  in  which  they  held  their  famous  chief,  Tammany. 
This  man  was  so  beloved  by  both  Indians  aud  whites,  that, 
after  his  death,  he  was  actually  canonized  a* '  St.  Tammany. 
Throughout  the  Revolutionary  War  his  day  was  celebrated 
with  great  respect,  both  by  the  army  and  civJJ-ians,  until  Jef- 
ferson's administration. 

The  fame  of  this  great  chief  extended  ev^n  among  the 
whites.  His  festival  was  celebrated  on  the  first  day  of  May, 
at  which  time  a  numerous  society  of  his  votaries  walked  to- 
gether ia  procession  through  the  streets  of  Philadelphia  (their 
hats  decorated  with  bucks'  tails),  and  proceeded  to  a  hand- 
some ^>lace  out  of  town,  which  they  called  the  wigwam, 
where,  after  a  long  talk,  and  the  calumet  of  peace  and  friend- 
ship had  been  duly  smoked,  they  passed  the  day  in  festivity 
and  mirth.  After  dinner  Indian  dances  were  performed  on 
the  green  in  front  of  the  wigwam ;  the  calumet  was  again 
smoked  and  the  company  separated. '  Since  that  time  Phila- 
delphia, New  York  and  other  towns  have  had  their  Tammany 
societies.  Tammany  halls  and  the  old  relic  of  1-adian  g^eat* 
ness  have  degenerated  into  an  organization 
poses. 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  29 


CHAPTEE  V. 

f 

KINS  PHILIP'S  WAR — DESTRUCTION  OF  BROOKFIELD  AND  DEERFIELD 
—SHOCKING  BARBARITY. 

THE  war  of  the  New  England  colonies  with  King  Philip 
waft  the  most  important  as  well  as  the  most  dangerous  to 
their  existence  of  all  the  Indian  contests  in  that  part  of  the 
country.  Philip  was  the  son  of  the  chief  Massasoit,  and  suc- 
ceeded his  brother  Alexander  as  leader  of  his  tribe.  What- 
ever were  the  motives  which  actuated  him  in  the  war  of  ex- 
termination (whether  revenge  for  his  brother's  death  or  jeal- 
ousy of  the  increasing  power  of  the  whites',  it  is  certain  that 
he  had  brooded  over  his  plan  in  secret  for  years. 

Long-continued  and  extensive  negotiations  were  ei  • 
into  by  him  with  surrounding  tribes.  On  the  2ith  of  June, 
1675,  the  first  attack  was  made  at  Swanzey,  when  about  eight 
or  nine  men  were  killed.  The  alarm  was  given  to  Boston, 
and  a  detachment  of  men  sent  out  under  Captains  Hench- 
man and  Prentice.  These  united  with  the  Plymouth  force 
under  Captain  Benjamin  Church  and  Major  Cutworth.  They 
took  up  their  quarters  in  a  house  in  Swanzey.  After  some 
skirmishing,  the  region  was  cleared  of  the  Indians.  One 
tvhite  was  killed,  and  a  Mr.  Gill  struck  by  a  ball  that  would 
have  proved  fatal,  but  for  a  singular  defensive  armor,  in  the 
shape  of  a  quantity  of  thick  brown  paper  which  he  had  in- 
serted under  his  clothes. 

Captain  Church  was  a  brave  and  energetic  man,  and  fig- 
ured prominently  in  this  war.  At  the  outbreak  he  was  living 
as  a  solitary  pioneer-colonist  in  the  country.  He  was  in  the 
habit  of  tailing  Indian  captives,  whom  he  put  through  a  sort 
of  taming  process  by  treating  them  with  kindness  ar»d  gener- 
osity. Thus,  he  soon  had  about  him  a  devoted  bodyguard 
of  soldiers,  v\ho  served  him  with  the  greatest  enthusi- 
asm. 

On  the  18th  of  July,  1875,  the  united  forces  of  the  colonists 
drove  Philip  with  his  warriors  into  a  swamp  near  Pocasset. 
After  some  skirmishing  the  whites  withdrew.  It  was  said 
that  a  vigorous  attack  here  might  have  ended  the  war. 

The  story  of  the  destruction  of  Brookfield  by  the  Nipmucks 


30  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

is  a  thrilling  oiie.  The  terrified  inhabitants  of  this  village 
had  collected  in  a  single  house  that  stood  upon  a  rising  knoll 
of  ground.  They  had  fortified  their  place  of  refuge  as  well  as 
they  were  able  by  piling  logs  and  hanging  feather  beds 
against  the  walls.  The  troops  under  Wheeler  and  Hutchinson 
(who  had  come  here  for  the  purpose  of  a  treaty,  but  had,  in- 
stead, been  treacherously  fired  upon)  also  entered  this  house, 
which  was  then  closely  besieged  by  the  Indians,  who  shot 
burning  arrows  upon  the  roof,  and,  attaching  rags  dipped  in 
brimstone  to  long  poles,  fired  them  and  thrust  them  against 
the  walls. 

From  Monday,  the  2nd  of  August,  till  Wednesday  evening 
these  attempts  continued.  Finally,  they  filled  a  cart  with 
combustible  materials,  and,  attaching  long  sets  of  poles  to 
it,  so  that  it  could  be  operated  from  a  distance,  they  sent  it 
forward  blazing  against  the  building.  But  a  timely  shower 
of  rain  extinguished  the  flames  and  saved  the  besieged 
whites.  Assistance  reached  them  that  night.  Major  Willard, 
with  forty-six  men,  effected  an  entrance  into  the  house,  and 
the  Indians  retired,  after  the  destruction  of  a  large  part  of 
the  town. 

In  this  war  the  Narragansetts,  the  old  friends  of  theEnglish, 
had  remained  neutral,  or  had  at  Jeast  pretended  to  do  so. 
But,  on  what  seems  insufficient  grounds,  the  colonists  re- 
solved to  wage  war  against  them,  it  being  alleged  that  they 
had  aided  and  abbetted  the  enemy.  Accordingly,  a  very 
large  body  of  English  under  command  of  Josias  Winslow, 
governor  of  the  colony  of  Plymouth  (Church  also  taking  part), 
moved  down  upon  the  Narragansetts  in  the  middle  of  the 
winter.  A  guide  was  found  who  piloted  them  to  the  chief 
fort  of  the  enemy,  which  was  situated  on  mi  island  in  the 
midst  of  a  large  swamp. 

The  entire  village  was  surrounded  by  a  strong  palisade, 
and  the  only  means  of  approach  was  by  crossing  the  marsh 
upon  an  immense  fallen  tree.  lrile  after  file  of  soldiers  was 
swept  from  this  narrow  bridge  by  the  fire  of  the  Indians.  At 
last  an  entrance  was  effected.  Church,  who  had  been  wound- 
ed, tried  to  dissuade  the  general  from  firing  the  wigwams, 
since  on  such  a  bitterly  cold  night  they  would  need  their 
shelter  and  warmth  themselves,  the  nearest  refuge  from  the 
snow-storm  which  was  impending  being  some  sixte«» 


INDIAN   MASSACRES.  31 

distant.  But  his  advice  was  unheeded  and  a  terrible  scene 
3ns  no  1. 

Large  numbers  of  old  men  , women  and  children  were 
burned  alive  in  their  huts.  The  colonists  lost  eighty  killed 
ami  one  hundred  and  fifty  wounded.  Beside  the  unnumbered 
wretches  who  perished  in  the  huts  by  the  flames,  it  i-  supposed 
that  about- five  hundred  warriors  were  killed  and  seven  hun- 
dred wounded. 

Upon  one  occasion  the  English  permitted  a  young  Narra- 
$ansett  captive  to  be  tortured  to  death  by  their  Indian  allies, 
partly  that  they  might  not  displease  these  confederates,  and 
also  that  they  might  have  ocular  demonstration  of  savage 
cruelty.  The  victim  had  kille  1  and  scalped  many  English- 
men>  as  he  acknowledged,  and  they  thought  fit  to  let  him 
suffer,  although  the  sight  brought  tears  to  their  eyes.  The 
Mohegaus  cut  round  the  joints  of  his  fingers  and  toes  suc- 
cessively, and  then  broke  them  off.  They  compelled  him  to 
dance  and  sing  in  this  condition  until  he  had  wearied  both 
himself  and  them,  and  then  broke  his  legs.  Sinking  in  si- 
lence on  the  ground,  he  sat  till  they  finished  his  miseries  by 
a  blow. 

The  capture  of  Philip  and  the  close  of  the  war  was  in  the 
month  of  August,  1676.-  Church  was  worn  out  with  hard  serv- 
ice, but,  at  the  urgent  request  of  the  government,  consented 
to  pursue  Philip  to  the  death.  With  a  company  of  men  he 
marched  to  Pocasset,  and  then  made  a  flying  trip  to  Rhode 
Island  to  visit  his  wife,  who  fainted  with  joy  at  seeing  him 
alive. 

But  scarcely  had  the  first  greeting  been  given,  when  a 
messenger  brought  word  that  Philip  was  at  his  old  quarters 
at  Mount  Hope  Neck.  Church,  bidding  his  wife  good-bye, 
imme  liately  mounted  his  horse  that  he  had  just  left  at  the 
door,  and  set  off  at  full  speed.  The  king,  dejected  in  spirits 
and  reduced  to  the  utmost  straits,  was  encamped  upon  a  spot 
c  f  dry  land  in  the  swamp.  Church  distributed  a  portion  of 
Ms  force  so  as  to  command  the  avenues  of  escape ;  the  re- 
mainder he  ordered  to  beat  up  Philip's  head-quarters.  The 
Indians,  startled  by  the  first  fire  of  the  guns,  rushed  into  the 
swamp.  Philip  passed  within  easy  shooting  range  of  two  of 
the  attacking  party— an  Englishman  and  an  Indian ;  the  gun 
of  the  former  snapped ;  but  the  latter  shot  the  king  through 


83  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

the  heart  as,  half  naked  and  flinging  his  accoutrements  be- 
hind him,  he  advanced  at  full  speed.  His  body  was  quartered 
and  insulted ;  his  hand  was  given  to  Alderman,  tho  Indian 
who  shot  him ;  and  the  head  was  long  exposed  at  Plymouth, 
where  grim,  and  harsh  old  Mather  says  exultingly  that  he 
with  his  own  hand  displaced  the  jaw  from  the  skull  of  "  that 
blasphemous  leviathan." 

Annawan,  Philips  bravest  chief,  escape!  the  massacre,  but 
was  pursued  by  Church  to  Rhode  Island.  He  was  tracked 
to  Squannaconk  Swamp,  in  the  southeastern  part  of  Eeho- 
both,  an  old  Indian  having  turned  traitor  and  piloted  the 
English  to  his  lair,  which  they  found  to  be  on  a  ledge  of  steep 
rocks  which  stood  over  the  marsh.  The  only  way  to  ap- 
proach it  was  by  climbing  down  from  above. 

It  was  night  when  Church  arrived  there;  stopping  the 
guide  with  his  hand,  he  crawled  to  the  edge  of  the  rock  and 
looked  down  upon  the  scene  below.  Annawan 's  hut  consist- 
ed of  a  tree  felled  against  the  wall  of  rock,  with  birch  bushes 
piled  up  against  it. '  Fires  were  lit  without,  over  which  meat 
was  roasting  and  kettles  were  boiling,  and  the  light  revealed 
several  companies  of  the  enemy.  Their  arms  were  stacked 
together  and  covered  with  a  mat.  In  close  proximity  to 
them  lay  old  Annawan  and  his  son ;  an  aged  squaw  was 
pounding  corn  in  a  mortar,  and,  as  the  noise  of  her  blows 
continued,  Church,  proceeded  by  the  guide  and  his  daughter, 
and  followed  by  his  Indian  allies,  let  himself  down  by  the 
bushes  and  twigs  which  grew  in  the  crevices  of  the  rocks. 
With  his  hatchet  in  his  hand  he  stepped  over  the  young  An- 
nawan, who  drew  himself  into  a  heap  with  his  blanket  over 
his  head,  and  reached  the  guns.  The  old  chief  sat  up,  cry- 
ing out  "  Ho  won !  "  but,  seeing  he  was  taken,  lay  down  again 
in  silence.  All  submitted.  Annawan  ordered  his  women  to 
prepare  supper  for  Church  and  his  men,  an  I  they  supp<^_  to- 
gether harmoniously.  Then  all  fell  asleep,  except  the  lead- 
ers, who  lay  looking  at  each  other  for  nearly  an  hour ;  when 
Annawan  arose  and  brought  the  regalia  of  Philip,  which  he 
presented  on  his  knees  to  Church,  saying:  "  Great  captaiu, 
you  have  killed  Philip  and  conquered  his  country ;  for  I  believe 
that  I  and  my  company  are  the  last  that  war  against  the  En- 
glish. The  war  is  ended  by  your  means.  These  things  belong 
to  you.'' 


INDIAN  MASS  AC  33 

He  then  handed  him  two  broad  belts  richly- worked  in  wam- 
pum, one  of  which,  fringed  with  re.i  hair  from  the  Mohawks' 
country,  reached  from  the  shoulders  nearly  to  the  ground. 
He  also  gave  him  two  horns  o.  and  a  rod  cloth  blank- 

et.   He  said  th:it  Philip  was  accustomed  to  ornament  his  per- 
son with  this  regalia  upon  state  occasions. 

The  chief  facts  of  this  long  and  eventful  conflict  with  Phil- 
ip are  thus  summarized  by  Baylies :  "In  this  war,  which  last- 
ed but  little  more  oar  and  a  half,  six  hundred  En- 
glishmen were  killed;  thirteen  towns  iu  Massachusetts,  Ply- 
mouth and  Rhode  Island  were  destroyed,  and  almost  every 
family  had  lost  a  relative;  six  hu  nired  dwellings  had  been 
burned;  a  vast  amount  in  goods  and  cattle  had  been  de- 
stroyed, and  a  great  debt  created.  But  the  result  of  the  con- 
test was  decisive ;  the  e  ;emy  was  extinct,  the  fertile  wilder- 
ness was  opened  and  the  rapid  extension  of  settlements 
cvi  it? eel  the  growing  prosperity  of  New  England." 

Up  to  the  time  of  Philip's  Avar  the  people  of  Maine  and  New 
ut  little  to  complain  of  in  the  co;>ductof  the 
.ians  of  their  country.  But  after  the  date  of  the  openirg 
of  hostilities  in  1G75  they  were  of  course  continually  under 
suspicion  ;  in  fact,  from  that  time  there  were  many  uprisings 
.  massacres  in  these  two  colonies.  Captain  Church  was 
sent  against  them,  and  he  waged  the  war  with  his  usual  en- 
ergy and  more  thin  his  accustomed  cruelty.  In  the  summer  of 
1680  the  Indians  made  an  attack  on  Dover,  where  MajorWal- 
dron  was  in  command  with  a  considerable  force.  The  savages 
were  burning  to  avenge  a  wanton  insult  and  injury  inflicted 
upon  them,  the  major  having  kidnapped  and  sent  to  Boston 
t\v<)  hundred  Indians,  of  whom  eight  or  ten  were  hanged  and 
and  the  rest  sold  as  slaves.  The  attack  was  made  at  night. 
Two  (sh  I  s<;uaws,  having  obtained  permission  to  sleep  in  the 
garrisoned  houses,  arose  at  night  and  imbarred  the  doors, 
when  the  savages  rubhed  in  and  completely  overpowered  the 
troops,  among  the  captives  being  Major  \Vaidron.  Although 
eighty  years  of  age,  he  :  [  himself  with  desperate 

bravery,  but  was  iinaliy  struck  down  by  a  blow  from  behind. 
Bruised  and  mangled,  he  w:is  placed  in  a  chair  on  a  fcabie, 
and  the  savages  gathered  round  glutted  their  long-cherished 
hatred  by  torturing  1;; 

One  of  their  charges  against  him   was  that  he  had  eh< 


34  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

them  in  trading  transactions.  It  was  reported  among  therm 
that  he  used  to  estimate  the  weight  of  his  fist  to  be  a 
pound ;  also,  that  his  accounts  were  not  crossed  out  accord- 
ing to  agreement.  As  they  gashed  his  naked  bre  -.st,  each 
said,  "I  cross -out  my  account."  They  would  tb en  cut  a 
joint  from  his  finger,  with  the  question:  "  Will  your  fist 
weigh  a  pound  now  ?  "  These  fiendish  barbarities  continued 
until  he  fainted  from  loss  of  blood,  when  he  was  placed  out 
of  misery  for  ever. 

In  January,  1699,  the  war  with  the  French  being  over,  the 
Indians  of  Maine  and  New  Hampshire  concluded  a  treaty 
with  the  colonies.  But  in  May,  1702,  war  was  again  declared, 
and  all  the  old  difficulties  broke  out  again  with  renewed 
bitterness.  One  of  the  most  famous  episodes  of  the  wars 
with  these  Northeastern  Indians  was  LovewelPs  fight.  The 
engagement  took  place  near  Saco  Pond,  in  Maine,  the  In- 
dian in  command  being  Pangus,  chief  of  the  Pequawkets. 
His  men  numbered  eighty,  while  Loveweil  had  but  thirty- 
four. 

The  cruel  and  barbarous  murders  committed  by  the  In- 
dians in  these  regions  had  indused  the  general  court  of 
Massachusetts  to  offer  a  bounty  of  five  hundred  dollars  for 
each  Indian's  scalp  brought  in.  Loveweil,  with  forty  men, 
coming  upon  a  small  body  of  Indians  sleeping  round  their 
fires,  killed  and  scalped  all  of  them ;  then,  with  their  trophies 
mounted  on  hoops,  they  marched  in  triumph  to  Boston  and 
received  five  thousand  dollars. 

Loveweil  left  Dunstable  on  the  16th  of  April,  1725.  Early 
on  the  following  morning,  while  at  prayers,  they  heard  the 
report  of  a  gun.  Leaving  their  packs,  they  pressed  forward 
to  meet  the  Indians.  Pangus  discovered  the  packs,  and 
thereby  learning  the  inferior  strength  of  the  enemy,  boldly 
advanced  and  provoked  battle.  On  the  morning  of  the  8th, 
Ensign  Wyman  discovered  an  Indian  who  was  returning 
from  a  hunt,  having  in  one  hand  some  fowls  which  he  had 
killed,  and  in  the  other  two  guns.  Perceiving  that  his  hour 
had  come,  he  levelled  a  gun  at  Captain  Loveweil  and  mortal- 
ly wounded  him,  though  he  did  not  immediately  fall,  but  was 
able  to  lead  his  men  in  the  second  engagement,  which  oc- 
curred soon  after  when  they  had  returned  to  the  place  where 
they  had  left  their  packs.  Here  the  Indians  fell  upon  them 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  35 

from  an  ambusca-Ie.  T.iey  held  up  ropes  and  asked  the  En- 
glish if  they  would  surrender ;  they  replied  by  charging  and 
firing,  thus  driving  back  the  savages,  who,  however,  soon 
rallied  and,  in  turn,  forced  the  English  to  retreat.  Loveweil 
now  fell.  The  fight  continued  obstinately  un  til  night,  the 
Indians  howling,  yelling  and  barking  like  dogs,  and  the 
English  cheering  each  other  with  huzzas.  Pangus,  chief  of 
the  red  men,  and  Powan,  another  chief,  were  slain.  Fourteen 
of  the  English  escaped  from  the  battle  ground  at  midnight, 
and,  although  fifty  miles  from  any  settlement,  succeeded  in 
i ing  their  friends. 

One  Solomon  Keyes,  who  had  received  three  wounds  from 
t'ie  Indians,  had  a  remarkable  escape.  Thinking  to  crawl 
away  and  die  in  some  spot  where  the  Indians  could  not  scalp 
him,  he  crept  along  the  shore  of  the  pond  and  found  a  canoe, 
into  which  he  rolled  himself  and  was  floated  away  by  the 
wind.  To  his  amazement,  he  found  that  during  the  night  he 
had  been  drifted  to  within  a  short  distance  of  the  fort  called 
Ossipee,  which  LovewelTs  men  had  built  as  a  refuge.  Here 
he  found  a  few  companions,  and,  eventually  recovering^ rom 
his  wounds,  returned  home  with  them. 

Another  sadly  memorable  event  of  the  wars  of  the  northern 
New  England  settlers  with  the  Indians  was  the  destruction 
of  Deerfleld  in  Massachusetts,  "which  event  formed  part  of  a 
deep-laid  plan  of  the  Canadian  French  and  the  Indians  for 
laying  waste  the  entire  frontier.  The  scheme  was,  however, 
but  partially  successful.  Deer  field  had  been  palisaded  a  ad 
twenty  soldiers  quartered  there  i  i  different  houses.  But 
these  guards  forgot  their  duty.  The  snow  afforded  easy  ac- 
cess over  the  fortifications  to  the  town,  and  the  conquest  of 
the  place  was  made  with  the  greatest  ease. 

The  story  is  given  in  the  words  of  the  Rev.  John  Williams : 
"On  Tuesday,  the  29th  of  February,  1703-4,  not  long  before 
break  of  day,  the  enemy  came  in  like  a  flood  upon  us,  our 
watch  being  unfaithful— an  evil  whose  awful  effects,  in  the 
surprisal  of  our  fort,  should  bespeak  all  watchmen  to  ; 
if  they  would  not  bring  the  charge  of  blood  upon  themselves. 
They  came  to  my  house  in  the  beginning  of  the  onset,  and  by 
their  violent  endeavors  to  braak  open  doors  and  windows 
with  axes  and  hatchets  awakened  me  out  of  sleep ;  on  which 
I  leaped  out  of  bed,  and,  running  toward  the  door,  perceived 


36  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

the  enemy  making  their  entrance  into  the  house.  I  called 
to  awaken  two  soldiers  in  the  chamber,  and,  returning 
toward  my  bedside  for  my  arms,  the  enemy  immediately  brake 
into  my  room,  I  judge  to  the  number  of  twenty,  with  painted 
faces  and  hideous  acclamations.  I  reached  up  my  hands  to 
the  bed-tester  for  my  pistol,  uttering  a  short  petition  to  G-od, 
expecting  a  present  passage  through  the  valley  of  the  shad- 
ow of  death.  Taking  down  my  pistol,  I  cocked  it  and  put  it 
to  the  breast  of  the  first  Indian  who  came  up,  but  my  pistol 
missed  fire.  I  was  seized  by  three  Indians,  who  disarmed 
me  and  bound  me,  naked  as  I  was,  in  my  shirt,  and  so  I 
stood  for  near  the  space  of  an  hour." 

In  the  mean  time  the  work  of  destruction  went  on.  Forty- 
seven  person  were  killed,  and  the  entire  town  burned,  with 
the  exception  of  one  house,  which  stood  next  to  Mr.  Will- 
Hams',  and  in  which  seven  men  withstood  the  entire  force 
of  three  hundred  French  and  Indians.  Mr.  Williams  con- 
tinues :  "  About  sun  an  hour  high  we  were  all  carried  out  of 
the  house  for  a  march,  and  1  saw  many  of  the  houses  of  my 
neighbors  in  flames,  perceiving  the  whole  fort,  one  house  ex- 
cepted,  to  be  taken.  We  were  carried  over  the  river  to  the 
foot  of  the  mountain,  about  a  mile  from  my  house,  where  we 
found  a  great  number  of  our  neighbors,  men,  women  and 
children,  to  the  number  of  one  hundred,  nineteen  of  whom 
were  afterward  murdered  by  the  way  and  two  starved  to 
death  near  Coos  in  a  time  of  great  scarcity  or  famine  the 
'savages  underwent  there.  \\hea  we  came  to  the  foot  of  our 
mountain  they  took  away  our  slioes  and  gave  us  Indian 
shoes  to  prepare  us  for  our  journey.'' 

At  this  point  a  few  English  who  had  escaped,  and  a  few 
from  Hatfield,  attacked  the  Indians  and  pressed  j£em  hard 
— so  much  so  that  the  French  leader  sent  a  command  to  have 
the  captives  slain.  Luckily,  however,  the  messenger  was 
killed  on  the  way. 

They  now  commenced  a  journey  of  three  hundred  miles 
through  a  trackless  wilderness,  consuming  forty  days  in  its 
accomplishment.  Boughs  of  trees  formed  the  :only  beds  of 
women  and  little  children;  the  latter  were,  in  general, 
treated  well,  probably  because  they  desired  to  obtain  ransom 
for  them.  At  the  first  encampment  some  of  the  Indians  be- 
came intoxicated, and  in  their  fury  killed  Mr.  Williams'  man. 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  37 

On  the  second  day's  march  occurred  the  death  of  Mrs. 
Williams.  On  the  occasion  of  the  capture  in  Deerfield,  she 
received  a,  terrible  shock  through  the  murder  of  two  of  her 
children  at  her  own  door,  together  with  a  black  woman  be- 
longing to  the  family.  At  the  upper  part  of  Deerfield  mead- 
ow it  became  necessary  to  cross  Green  river.  The  Indian 
who  captured  Mr.  Williams  was  unwilling  that  he  should 
speak  to  the  other  captives ;  but  on  the  second  day  he  had 
another  master,  who  allowed  him  both  to  speak  to  his  wife 
and  to  help  her  along.  This  was  their  last  meeting ;  she 
very  calmly  told  him  that  she  was  dying. 

Having  now  reached  the  river,  and  Mr.  Williams'  old 
master  returning,  the  two  were  separated.  In  crossing  the 
stream,  which  was  very  rapid  and  about  two  feet  deep,  Mrs. 
Williams  became  thoroughly  wet  by  falling  down.  Her  hus- 
band learned  this  and  other  subsequent  facts  concerning  her 
from  others,  he  himself  being  farther  on  in  the  van.  Direct- 
ly after  she  had  emerged  from  the  water  she  felt  unable  to 
proceed,  and  the  wrelch  whose  captive  she  was  slew  her  with 
one  stroke  of  his  hatchet. 

Others  were  killed  and  many  died  from  exposure.  It  was 
debated  whether  they  shoul  1  not  take  the  life  of  Mr.  Williams 
also,  but  his  master  prevailed  upon  them  not  to  do  so.  A 
young  woman  who  was  unable  to  proceed  without  continual- 
ly falling  down,  was  told  by  her  master  that  she  must  die. 
She  obtained  leave  to  talk  a  few  moments  with  her  minister, 
Mr.  Williams,  and,  then  returning,  was  executed. 

In  1706  fifty-seven  of  these  Deerfield  people  were  sent  in  a 
flag-ship  to  Boston,  but  many  never  left  Canada.  The  Jes- 
uits made  strenuous  endeavors  to  convert  Mr.  Williams  and 
others ;  their  efforts  were  succef  sf ul  with  his  daughter  Eunice, 
who  afterward  married  an  Indian  (by  whom  she  had  several 
children),  and  passed  her  life  in  a  wigwam.  After  her  mar- 
riage, dressed  in  the  Indian  garb,  she  visited  her  friends  at 
Deerfield,  and  was  kindly  received  by  them,  but  all  attempts 
to  regain  her  proved  unavailing. 


38  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

WAR    WITH    THE    SIX    NATIONS. — HORRIBLE   MASSACRES    AND    TOR- 
TURES. 

THE  colonial  wars  with  the  Iroquois,  or  Six  Nations,  were 
numerous  and  bloody.  The  principal  Indian  leaders  wen; 
Shingis  and  Captain  Jacobs,  whose  bead-quarters  were  at 
Kittanning,  on  the  Allegheny  river.  In  175G,  Colonel  John 
Armstrong,  with  three  hundred  men,  proceeded  against  them, 
.the  attack  beginning  on  the  8th  of  September.  The  savages 
fought  desperately  in  their  log  cabins,  and  when  told  that 
they  v,rould  be  burned  if  they  did  not  surrender,  one  of  them 
replied  that  he  did  not  care,  as  he  could  kill  four  or  live  be- 
fore l.e  died.  As  the  fire  approached  them,  some  began  to 
sing,  while  others,  darting  from  the  flames,  were  shot. 
Captain  Jacobs  was  killed.  Shingis  was  reputed  to  be  one 
of  the  most  famous,  daring  and  cruel  warriors  of  his  time. 
He  was  a  terror  to  the  whole  frontier  of  Pennsylvania. 

One  of  the  great  conflicts  of  this  epoch  occurred  in  1775  at 
Lake  George,  between  the  French  and  Indians,  under  Gen- 
eral Oicskau,  and  the  English,  under  General  William  John- 
sen  (superintendent  of  Indian  affairs  in  America)  and  the 
brave  Mohawk  chief,  Hendrick.  After  a  stubborn  .fight  the 
French  were  defeated.  General  Dieskau  was  found  wounded 
and  leaning  against  a  stump  for  support.  Supposing  that 
his  captors  wanted  plunder,  he  put  his  hand  in  his  pocket  to 
draw  out  his  watch ;  but  one  of  the  soldiers,  mistaking  it  for 
a  movement  to  secure  his  pistol,  shot  him  again  in  the  hips. 
He  lived  to  reach  England,  but  died  soon  afterward.  It  is 
related  that,  before  the  battle,  upon  General  Johnson  con- 
sulting the  opinion  of  Hendrick  upon  the  advisability  of  de- 
taching a  certain  portion  of  his  foice,  and  asking  him  if  he 
thought  the  number  sufficient,  he  replied:  "  If  they  are  to 
fight,  they  are  too  few ;  if  they  are  to  be  killed,  they  are  too 
many/'  Hendrick  was  killed  in  the  engagement. 

One  of  the  noblest  chiefs  of  the  Iroquois,  the  most  mag- 
nanimous and  friendly  Indian  of  the  times,  was  the  famous 
Logan.  He  took  no  part  in  the  French  wars  of  1760,  except 
to  act  as  peace -maker.  It  was  the  murder  of  members  of 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  559 

his  family  that  roused  his  fury  against  the   white- 
cu instances  of  this  brutal  outrage  being  as  follow 
spring  of  1774  some  Englishmen  wore  exploring  lands 
Wheeling,  Ohio,  for  the  purpose  of  settling  there.    'J  ho  In- 
dians were  said,  or  thought,  to  have  robbed  them  ;  the  land- 
jobbers,  regarding  this  as  a  demonstration  of  hostility,  and 
learning  that  there  were  two  savages  on  the  river  abov 
against  them  Captain  Michael  Cresap,  who  succeeded  in  kill- 
ing them,  and  directly  afterward  several  monfc  among  whom 
were  members  of  the  family  of  Logan.         r 

In  a  short  time  from  this  another  brutal  murder  occurred, 
by  which  Logan  lost  a  brother  and  sister.  T  wo  wretche 
Wheeling,  named  Greathouse  and  Tornlinson,  with  thirty 
others,  resolved  to  massacre  a  party  of  Indians  who  wore  as- 
sembled on  the  opposite  shore  of  the  Ohio  -river,  and  bent 
on  revenge  for  the  murder  of  their  two  friends.  Great-house, 
enticing  a  part  of  them  to  drink  ru:n  wiih  him  at  his  house 
across  the  stream,  murdered  them  all  in  ids  house  after  they 
had  become  considerably  intoxicated.  The  remaining  sav- 
ages, hearing  of  the  slaughter  of  their  friends,  sent  over  two 
canoes  manned  with  warriors ;  but  being  fired  into  by  an 
ambushed  party  of  the  whites,  they  were  obliged  to  retreat 
and  seek  a  place  of  safety. 

After  an  ominous  lull,  Logan,  with  eight  followers,  sudden- 
ly appeared  on  the  Muskingum,  where  he  was  least  expected, 
and,  attacking  some  men  who  were  at  wcrk  in  a  field,  killed 
one  and  took  two  prisoners.  Nothing  could  possibly  show 
the  humanity  and  gentleness  of  Logan  more  than  his  kind 
treatment  of  one  of  these  men,  notwithstanding  the  deep  and 
terrible  injuries  which  he  had  received  at  the  hands  of  the 
English.  He  not  only  instructed  the  prisoner,  whose  name 
was  Kobinson,  how  to  ran  the  gauntlet  with  the  least  possi- 
ble harm,  but,  when  he  was  tied  to  the  stake  to  be  burned, 
cut  the  cords  that  bound  him,  and  afterward  had  him  adopt- 
ed into  an  Indian  family.  This  man  subsequently  became 
Logan's  scribe. 

Other  tribes  now  joined  in  the  war.  The  Shawnese  took 
the  field  under  their  famous  chief  Cornstalk  and  the  Dela- 
wares  also  assisted, being  justly  provoked  by  the  cold-blooded 
murder  of  their  inoffensive  >  Bald  Eagle.  This  old 

man  was  accustomed  to  wander  up  and  down  among  the 


40  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

whites,  visiting  ac  those  houses  where  he  was  best  enter- 
tained. As  he  was  ascending  the  Kanawha  alone  in  his  canoe 
one  day,  he  was  foully  murdered  by  a  man  who  had  suffered 
many  wrongs  from  the  Indians.  Placing  the  aged  chief  up- 
right in  his  canoe,  he  let  it  drift  down  tk  >.  river  with  the  cur- 
rent. For  along  time  no  one  suspected  that  he  was  dead; 
but  when  at  last  the  deed  was  discovered,  the  most  fierce  re- 
sentment dwelt  in  the  breasts  of  his  tribe. 

When  the  news  of  the  breaking  out  of  hostilities  was  re- 
ceived the  Virginia  legislature  was  in  session.  Governor 
Dunmore  at  once  issued  orders  for  the  assembling  of  three 
thousand  men,  one  half  of  whom  were  to  march  for  the 
mouth  of  the  Great  Kanawha,under  the  command  of  General 
Andrew  Lewis ;  and  the  remainder,  under  the  governor  in 
person,  were  to  proceed  to  some  point  on  the  Ohio  above  the 
former,  in  order  to  fall  upon  the  Indian  towns  between  while 
the  warriors  should  b.e  drawn  off  by  the  approach  of  Lewis  in 
the  opposite  direction.  He  was  then  to  pass  down  the  Ohio 
and  form  a  junction  with  General  Lewis  at  Point  Pleasant, 
whence  they  were  to  march  according  to  circumstances. 

On  the  llth  of  September  the  forces  under  General  Lewis, 
amounting  to  eleven  hundred  men,  commenced  their  march 
from  Camp  Union  for  Point  Pleasant  on  the  Great  Kanawha, 
distant  one  hundred  and  sixty  miles.  The  country  between 
was  a  trackless  wilderness ;  the  army  was  piloted  by  Captain 
Matthew  Arbuclde;  all  the  baggage  was  transported  by 
pack-horses,  and  the  expedition  consumed  nineteen  days  on 
the  march. 

JJefore  General  Lewis  could  learn  the  whereabouts  of  Gov- 
ernor Dunmore,  he  was  attacked. by  a  large  force  of  the  In- 
dians, and  the  famous  battle  of  Point  Pleasant  was  fought. 
The  savages  were  said  to  cover  four  acres  of  ground  as  close- 
ly as  they  could  stand  side  by  side. 

The  general,  upon  learning  of  the  approach  of  the  enemy, 
gave  orders  to  his  brother,  Colonel  Charles  Lewis,  £0  advance 
with  two  regiments  and  reconnoitre.  The  foe  was  soon  en- 
countered ;  the  colonel  was  mortally  wounded,  and  his  regi- 
me ut  driven  back ;  but  another  coming  up,  the  Indians  were 
forced  to  retreat  behind  a  breastwork  of  logs  and  brush 
which  they  had  constructed.  They  had  chosen  their  ground 
well,  and,  in  the  event'of  a  victory  on  their  part,  not  an  En- 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  41 

glishman  would  have  escaped  from  the  narrow  neck  of  ground 
on  which  the  battle  was  waged.*  They  had  stationed  men  on 
both  sides  of  the  river  to  prevent  any  that  might  attempt 
flight  by  swimming  from  the  apex  of  the  triangle  made  by 
the  confluence  of  the  two  rivers.  The  battle  was  obstinately 
contested.  Colonel  Fleming  conducted  himself  with  great 
bravery,  notwithstanding  he  had  received  t\vo  balls  through 
the  left  wrist. 

The  entire  line  of  the  Ti  dian  breastworks  now  became  one- 
blaze  of  fire,  which  lasted  the  rest  of  the  day.  Here  the  In- 
dians under  Logan,  Cornstalk,  Elinipsico,  Bed  Eagle  and 
other  mighty  chiefs  of  the  tribes  of  the  Shawanese,  Dela- 
wares,  Mingoes,  Wyandots  and  Cayugas,  amounting,  as  was 
supposed,  to  fifteen  hundred  warriors,  fought  as  men  will 
ever  do  for  their  country's  wrongs  with  a  bravery  which  could 
only  be  equalled. 

At  length  the~day  was  decided  b^  three  companies  of  the 
English  getting  in  the  rear  of  the  Indians  and  rushing  down 
upon  them.  They,  supposing  that  reinforcements  were  at 
hand,  at  once  fled  acros-j  the  Ohio  and  set  out  for  their  vil- 
lages on  the  Scioto.  A  stratagem  employed  by  the  English 
in  this  fight  was  the  holding  out  of  a  hat  from  behind  a  tree 
to  be  fired  at,  and  dropping  it  at  the  first  shot;  when  the 
Indian,  running  from  his  shelter  to  scalp  his  supposed  vic- 
tim, was  easily  picked  off.  The  troops  of  Governor  Dun- 
more  marched  to  Chillicothe,  where,  much  against  the  de- 
sire of  the  soldiers,  a  treaty  with  the  Indians  was  entered  in- 
1'  . 

Not  long  after  the  treaty  of  Chillicothe,  Logan  was  foully 
murdered  as  he  was  returning  home  from  Detroit.  Previous 
to  his  death  he  had  fori'eited  his  manhood  by  excessive  drink- 
ing. 

The  great  chief,  Cornstalk,  was  barbarously  killed  in  the 
fort  at  Point  Pleasant,  to  which  he  had  come  for  the  purpose 
of  notifying  his  white  friends  of  the  impending  storm  of  war 
that  v>  as  about  to  break  upon  them, and  which  he  was  unable 
to  avert.  His  so;;,Elinipsico,prompted  by  deep  filial  affection, 
had  traveled  far  to  see  him.  (Cornstalk,  Red  Hawk  and 
others  had  been  detained  in  the  fort  as  hostages  after  they 
had  given  their  friendly  warning.)  On  the  day  following  the 
arrival  of  Elinipsico  an  Englishman  was  murdered  by  the  In- 


42  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

dians  near  at  hand  and  the  body  was  brought  over  to  the  fort ; 
whereupon  an  infuriated  banfl  of  men, with  a  certain  Captain 
Hall  at  their  head,  cried  out,  "  Let  us  kill  the  Indians  in  the 
fort !  "  As  the  murderers  approached,  Elinipsico  discovered 
agitation,  which,  when  Cornstalk  saw,  he  said,  "  My  son, 
the  Great  Spirit  has  seen  fit  that  we  dio  together,  and  has 
sent  you  to  that  end.  It  is  his  will,  and  let  us  submit." 
They  shot  him  through  with  ^even  bullets.  He  fell  and  died 
without  a  struggle. 

The  colonial  wars  with  Pontiac,  chief  of  the  Ottawa  nation, 
in  the  region  of  the  present  Michigan  and  Wisconsin,  also 
claim  the  attention  of  the  reader.  In  1760,  Major  Rogers 
marched  into  Pontiac's  domain.  He  had  always  declared  a 
willing;  ess  to  have  the  English  settle  in  his  dominions,  pro- 
vided his  rights  as  sovereign  were  respected ;  and  it  seems 
pi-obable  that  the  breaking  out  of  the  hostilities*was  due  to 
the  indiscreet  treatment  of  him  by  the  English.  • 

Under  the  rule  of  this  great  chief  were  the  Miamis,  Otta- 
was,  Chippewas,  Wyandots,  Pottawatomies,  Mississagas, 
Shawanese,  Ottagamies  and  Winnebagoes.  He  was  a  person 
of  great  intellect ;  as  an  instance  of  his  superior  understand- 
ing it  may  be  mentioned  that  he  issued  bills  of  credit,  all  of 
which  he  afterward  redeemed.  They  consisted  of  pieces  of 
the  inner  bark  of  trees,  on  which  was  pictured  the  object 
which  he  wished  to  obtain.  The  government  stamp,  so  to 
speak,  was  the  figure  of  an  otter  drawn,  under  the  article  de- 
sired, on  each  piece  of  the  bark ;  this  animal  was  the  es- 
cutcliron  of  his  nation. 

The  iirst  outbreak  occurred  at  Fort  Michillimackinac. 
Traders  had  several  times  warned  commanding  officer  Ether- 
ington  of  the  unfriendliness  of  the  Indians;  but  he  refused 
to  listen  to  the  stories,  and  threatened  to  send  as  a  prisoner 
to  Detroit  the  next  man  who  should  come  to  him  with  such 
false  rumors.  Gradually,  the  Indians  assembled  around  the 
fort  until  their  number  amounted  to  four  hundred ;  but 
slight  attention  was  paid  to  them,  however.  On  the  4th  of 
June,  xvhich  was  the  king's  birthday,  the  savages  began  to 
'  play  in  front  of  the  fort  a  game  called  baggallwau,  similar  to 
the  national  diversion  in  Canada  called  lacrosse.  In  the  ar- 
dor of  the  sport,  the  ball  was  tossed  over  the  pickets  of  the 
fort ;  this  occurred  several  times,  that  suspicion  might  be 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  4°> 

averted.    The  last  time,  however,  when   a  ].. 

rusiied  in  after  the  ball,  the  wor<  I 

rapidly  in  all  directions,  they  took  possession  of  tb 

!y  any  difficulty.    Seventy  of  i 
and  the  remaining  twenty  retained  as  sir 

Pontiac  was  the  instigator  of  this  affair;  and  in 
few  days  after  the  massacre  he  was  in  possession  of  ail  the 
garrisons  In  the  West  except  three.  Detroit  alone  w 
ofT  from  assistance.  The  story  of  the  narrow  escape  of  this 
city  is  most  tnrilling.  Whei>  Pontiac  arrived  with  his  braves 
he  brought  many  women  and  children  with  him,  as  well  as 
goods  for  traffic,  for  the  purpose  of  quieting  suspicion.  Hav- 
ing encamped,  He  sent  word  to  Major  Glad  A-in  that  he  wished 
to  trade,  but  wouid  first  like  to  hold  a  council  with  him.  As- 
was  given,  and  the  next  morning  appointed  for  the 
meeting,  no  distrust  having  been  aroused.  The  plot,  how- 
ever, was  revealed  by  a  squaw,  who  had  made  for  Major 
G-ltt  i  win  a  pair  of  moccasins  out  of  a  curious  elk  skin.  Being 
much  pleased  with  tnem,  he  requested  her  to  make  another 
pair  for  him  to  present  to  a  friend,  and  to  keep  what  was 
left  to  convert  into  a  pair  of  shoes  for  herself.  She  was  then 
paid  for  her  work  and  dismissed,  but  was  afterward  found 
loitering  within  the  gates.  Being  asked  what  she  wanted, 
she  did  not  reply,  an  1  she  was  again  summoned  before  the 
major,  when,  after  much  confusion  and  trepidation,  she  re- 
vealed the  following  plot  for  the  massacre  of  the  garrison  on 
the  morrow. 

Each  chief  was  to  come  to  the  council  with  such  a  piece 
cut  from  the  end  of  his  gun  that  it  could  be  concealed  under 
his  blanket ;  also,  as  many  as  possible,  armed  in  the  same 
manner,  were  to  enter  outside,  ostensibly  for  the  purpose  of 
trading.  The  woman  was  sent  away  and  the  news  imparted 
to  the  men.  In  the  morning  all,  being  prepared,  nervously 
awaited  the  hour  for  the  meeting.  At  ten  o'clock  Pontiac 
appeared  with  thirty-six  chiefs  and  a  train  of  warriors.  He 
observed,  with  some  uneasiness,  the  unusual  spectacle  of 
troops  marching  from  place  to  place,  and  some  investing,  or 
at  least  facing,  the  council-house,  but  was  'reassured  upon 
being  told  that  it  was  only  parade.  The  council  began  by  a 
speech  from  Pontiac.  The  signal  for  attack  was  known  to  be 
the  presentation  of  a  wampum  peace  belt  to  Major  Gladwin 


44  INDIAN  MASSACRFS. 

in  a  certain  manner.  As  Pootiac  reached  this  part  of  his 
speech,  and  was  about  to  offer  the  belt,  the  officers  around 
the  major  half  drew  their  swords  from  their  scabbards,  the 
soldiers  clutched  thsir  g.iis  more  firmly,  and  the  chiefs 
saw  at  once  that  they  had  been  betrayed.  Pontiac  turned  as 
pale  as  it  is  possible  for  an  Indian  to  do,  and  the  chiefs  ex- 
changed glances  of  the  utnv-st  astonishment.  Pontiac, 
however,  having  regained  his  compos  are,  ft,  ashed  his  speech 
as  though  nothing  had  occurred.  When  Major  Gladwin  be- 
gan his  reply  he  at  once  charged  the  treachery  upon  Pontiac, 
Who  endeavored  to  excuse  himself,  but  the  major  stepped 
quickly  to  the  nearest  chief,  and,  pulling  aside  his  blanket, 
revealed  the  short  gun.  Of  course  nothing  further  could  be 
said,  and  they  were  told  to  leave  the  fort  instantly,  as  the 
soldiers  could  with  difficulty  be  restrained  from  cutting  them 
to  pieces. 

On  the  following  day  the  Indians  began  a  furious  attack. 
They  ei  deavored  to  set  on  lire  the  stockade,  and  in  several 
places  commenced  to  cut  it  with  axes,  so  as  to  form  a  breach. 
Major  Gladwin  finally  instructed  the  men  not  only  to  per- 
mit the  opening  to  be  made,  but  to  assist  them  by  cutting 
away  on  the  inside.  As  soon  as  the  passage  was  effected  the 
Indians  rushed  forward  to  enter  it;  but  at  that  moment  a 
brass  four-pounder  was  discharged  at -the  opening  from  with- 
in, and  made' dreadful  havoc  among  them.  After  this  they 
contented  themselves  with  blockading  the  fort. 

There  was  much  difficulty  in  relieving  Detroit,  owing  to 
its  great  distance  from  the  other  extreme  western  forts.  At 
length,  on  the  29th  of  July,  17G3,  Captain  Dalyell  arrived  with 
succor.  Shortly  after,  sallying  forth  with  two  hundred  and 
forty-seven  men,  he  was  attacke  1  by  the  Indians  in  ambush, 
and  what  is  known  as  the  battle  of  Bloody  Bridge  was 
fought.  This  engago  i  ent  derived-its  name  from  the  bridge 
where  the  attack  was  made.  The  main  body  of  the  En- 
effected  a  retreat,  but  they  left  the  bridge  actually  blocked 
up  with  their  dead,  showing  the  desperate  character  of  the 
struggle. 

It  seemed  almost  impossible  for  any  ship  bringing  aid  to 
escape  the  detection  of  Pontiac.  Upon  one  occasion  a 
schooner  laden  with  provisions  appeared  near  the  fort,  and 
Pontiac  determined  to  attempt  its  capture.  The. vessel 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  45 

tarkod  short  about,  followed  by  the  cauoes,  the  savages  pert- 
•iis  as  hornets,  often  coming  so  close  to  the  vessel  as  to 
be  severely  burned  by  the  powder  from  the  guns.  They  had 
picked  off  nearly  all  the  crew,  and  were  at  length  clambering 
over  the  sides  of  the  vessel  and  up  the  shrouds,  when  the 
captain,  being  determined  not  to  fall  into  their  hands  alive, 
commanded  the  gunner  to  fire  the  magazine.  A  Huron 
chief,  understanding  a  little  English,  overhead  the  order 
and  communicated  it  to  the  rest,  whereupon  they  precipi- 
tately fled  the  ship  in  the  greatest  alarm,  and  the  remnant  of 
the  crew  were  then  enable.!  to  bring  the  vessel  safely  to  the 
fort.  This  schooner  had  been  sent  from  Niagara  with  a  force 
of  eighteen,  twelve  of  whom  were  Mohawk  Indians.  So 
gratified  was  Major  Gladwin  by  the  bravery  of  the  men  in 
rescuing  the  garrison  from  the  horrible  and  certain  fate  of 
starvation  that  he  caused  silver  medals,  descriptive  of  the 
to  be  struck  and  presented  to  each  of  the  survivors."^ 
ri  he  fame  of  these  wars  of  Pontiac  spread  even  to  Europe. 
Finally,  General  Bradstreet,  with  three  thousand  men,  took 
•Id  against  him.  Thereupon  the  chief  sued  for  peace, 
which  \vas  granted,  and  he  afterward  became  apparently  a 
firm  friend  of  the  whites.  The  manner  of  his  death  is  not 
certainly  known. 


INDIAN  MASSACRES. 


CHAPTEB  VII. 

HOSTILITIES    ON    THE  FRONTIER. — KESCUE    OF    CAPTIVES. — THRILL  > 
ING  SCENES. 

DURING  hostilities  at  Fort  Detroit,  Fort  Pitt  had  been 
closely  besieged  by  Indians.  After  Pontiac  abandoned  the 
siege  at  the  former  place,  it  was  decided  by  the  ifngiish  (in 
July,  17G3)  to  send  relief  to  Fort  Pitt,  which  was  situated  on  a 
point  of  land  made  by  the  junction  of  the  Monongahela  with 
the  Ohio.  Captain  Ecuyer  had  suffered  severely  from  the 
galling  fire  of  the  Indians,  as  well  as  from  the  great  floods 
which  had  nearly  destroyed  the  foundations  of  his  fort.  He 
was  two  hundred  miles  from  any  settlement,  and  could  send 
no  word  of  his  danger.  General  Amherst  appointed  Colonel 
Henry  Bouquet  leader  of  the  relief  expedition,  and  the  forces 
(consisting  of  about  live  hundred  men)  were  to  rendezvous  at 
Carlisle,  Pa.  As  soon  as  the  Indians  learned  that  the  colonel 
was  (ML  route,  they  broke  up  the  siege  and  resolved  to  waylay 
him.  Accordingly,  on  the  4th  of  July,  they  made  an  attack 
from  an  ambuscade  at  a  place  called  Bushy  Enn.  The  En- 
glish, embarrassed  by  their  convoy  of  horses  laden  with 
•flour,  were  being  much  distressed  and  harassed  by  the  sav- 
ages when  the  night  closed  in  and  forced  them  to  desist  from 
fighting.  But  the  same  scene  was  again  enacted,  until  Colonel 
Bouquet  bethought  him  of  a  stratagem  which  undoubt- 
edly was  the  measis  of  saving  his  force  from  destruction.  He 
feigned  a  retreat,  and  the  Indians  rushed  forward  into  a  cir- 
cle prepared  for  them  by  sending  one  of  the  wings  of  the 
army  around  a  hill  where  they  were  unperceived  by  the  ene- 
my, who?  being  now  attacked  on  all  sides,  were  completely 
vanquished.  In  this  battle  fifty  whites  and  sixty  Indians 
were  killed.  In  a  few  days  Colonel  Bouquet  arrived  at  Fort 
Pitt. 

The  next  year,  the  depredations  of  the  Indians  upon  the 
settlements  continuing,  it  was  resolved  to  send  out  a  still 
larger  force  and  awe  the  Indians  into  submissiofi.  Colonels 
Bradstreet  and  Bouquet  were  appointed  to  co-operate— 
the  former  proceeding  by  way  of  the  great  lakes  and  falling 
upon  the  rear  of  the  Wyandots,  Ottawas  and  Miamis,  while 


48  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

the  latter  set  out. from  Car  i  a,  force  of  fifteen  hundred 

men.  On  reaching  For  .'••Pitt,  vari  -11^  conferences  were  held 
with  the  crafty  redskins,  wlr  >  y  frightened 

and  expressed  a  desire  for  peace,  finding  they  had  no  trifler 
to  deal  with,  in  the  person  of  Colonel  Bouquet,  who,  while 
stern  and  exacting,  was  m;  oil,  and  desirous 

of  avoiding  the  shedding  of  blood. 

He  had  been  sent  word  by  Bradstieet  that  he  had  conclud- 
ed a  peace  with  the  Delawares  and  Hliawa'jese  ;  but  Colonel 
Bouquet  would  place  no  relia.nce  upon  the  good  faith  of  the 
Indians,  and  told  them  so.  He  demanded  of  them,  in  the 
first  place,  to  prove  their  sincerity  by  permitting  to  return  to 
him  in  safety  two  messengers  whom  he  was  about  to  send  to 
Colonel  Bradstreet.  In  the  meantime  he  moved  on  to  Tus- 
carawas,  and,  finding  here  his  messengers  safely  returned, 
he  gave  notice  that  he  would  hold  a  council  with  the  chiefs. 

At  this  meeting  the  Indians  in  the  mo-t  abject  manner 
sued  for  peace.  The  colonel  dismissed  them,  saying  that  ho 
would  confer  with  them  the  next  day.  At  the  appointed  time, 
after  recounting  to  them  all  their  outrages  and  treachery,  he 
gave  them  twelve  days  in  which  to  deliver  up  their  captives. 
He  demanded  that  all  prisoners  should  be  surrendered, 
"  Englishmen,  Frenchmen,  women  and  children;  whether 
adopted,  married,  or  living  among  them  under  any  denomi- 
nation or  pretence  whatsoever ;  and  to  furnish  horses,  clothes 
and  provisions  to  carry  them  to  Fort  Pitt."  When  these 
terms  had  been  complied  with  they  were  to  be  informed  of 
the  conditions  of  peace. 

Moving  forward  to  the  Forks  of  Muskingum,  in  what  is 
now  the  state  of  Ohio,  Colonel  Bouquet  caused  houses  to  be 
built  for  the  reception  of  the  captives ;  and  by  the  9th  of 
November  two  hundred  and  six  had  been  delivered  into  his 
hands,  of  whom  ninety  were  Virginians  and  one  hundred 
and  twenty-six  Pennsylvanians,  one  hundred  and  twenty-five 
being  women  and  children. 

The  meeting  of  the  adult  prisoners  wifrh  their  friends  and 
relatives,  many  of  whom  were  with  the  army,  was  a  scene 
that  beggars  description.  Of  the  children,  many  clung  to 
their  adopted  Indian  mothers,  and  at  first  refused  to  depart 
with  theiswal  parents.  A  number  of  the  Indians  declined 
to  b©  separated  from  their  whito  captives,  and  followed  the 


INDIAN  MASb^ORES.  49 

aimy  on  its  return  to  Philadelphia.  Thus,  having  complete- 
ly humbled  the  Indians  and  obtained  their  promise  to  send, 
in  the  spring,  one  hundred  more  captives  who  were  off  on 
distant  hunting  expeditions,  hostages  boing  taken  to  secure 
the  faithful  performance  of  this  stipulation,  Colonel  Bouquet 
returned  to  Pennsylvania. 

In  the  year  1782  was  committed  the  diabolical  murder  of 
the  inoffensive  Christian  Indians  of  Gnadenhuetten,  Salem 
andSchonbruan  in  Ohio.  In  February  a  party  of  Sanduaky 
Indians  had  massacred  a  family  consisting  of  a  man,  his  wife 
and  five  or  six  children.  The  settlers  on  the  Pennsylvania 
frontier  concluded  that  either  the  Moravian  Indians  at  Gna- 
danhuettea  were  the  guilty  parties,  or  that  the  murdbrers 
were  quartered  among  them.  Accordingly,  organizing 
themselves  into  a  band  of  eighty  or  ninety  men,  mounted 
and  provisioned,  they  set  out  for  Guadenhuetten  under  the 
command  of  David  Williamson,  it  should  here  be  men- 
tioned that  these  praying  Indians,  as  they  were  called,  had, 
the  previous  autumn,  narrowly  escaped  destruction,  having 
been  carried  off  to  Detroit  by  the  notorious  Captain  Pike  (an 
Indian)  by  command  of  the  governor  at  that  fort.  However, 
since  it  was  found  impossible  to  prove  any  \\  rong  against  them, 
they  had  been  released,  and  were  now  (the  Ctli  of  March)  out 
in  the  fields  gathering  in  the  Indian  corn  which  they  had 
left  in  the  fields  the  autumn  previous  when  they  were  taken 
u'-vay. 

The  white  guerillas  informed  them  that  it  was  their  pur- 
pose to  remove  them  to  Fort  Pitt  for  safety.  Much  pleased, 
they  at  once  laid  down  their  arms.  Those  at  Salem  were 
then  summoned,  and  all  were  placed  in  guarded  houses. 
Colonel  Williamson,  then  drawing  up  his  men  in  li::e,  put  the 
question  whether  the  Indians  should  be  taken  prisoners  to 
Fort  Pitt  or  put  to  death,  requesting  those  who  favored  the 
former  movement  to  step  forward  and  form  a  new  line.  Only 
sixteen  or  eighteen  men  are  said  to  have  advanced.  The 
savages,  in  the  meantime,  having  a  presentiment  of  their 
fate,  were  praying,  singing  hymns  and  exhorting  one  anoth- 
er to  remain  firm.  In  a  short  time  the  two  buildings  were 
converted  into  slaughter  houses,  filled  with  the  mangled  and 
bleeding  bodies  of  these  innocent  people— gray-haired  men, 
women  and  tender  children;  none  were  spared  the  fatal 


50  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

wounds  of  the  tomahawk,  club,  spear  and  sealping-knite,  but 
two  young  lads  who  escaped  by  feigning  death,  and  creeping 
unobserved  into  a  cellar. 


INDIAN  MASSACRSS.  5 1 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

REMINISCENCES  OF  DANIEL  BOONE— HIS  HAIR-BREADTH  ESCAPES. 

THE  exploits  of  Danit-1  Boone  in  Kentucky  form  one  of  the 
most  interesting  chapters  in  the  history  of  Indian  wars,  both 
on  account  of  his  thrilling  and  romantic  adventures  in  a  la-id 
of  enchanting  beauty  and  fertility,  aud  from  the  noble  person- 
al character  of  this  hero.  He  was  born  in  1735  near  Bristol,  ou 
the  Delaware  river.  His  ancestors  were  from  DevoLshire, 
England.  Both  his  grandfather  (George  Boot, e)  and  his  fa- 
ther (Squire  Boon  e)  had  large  families,  and  were  characterized 
by  a  love  of  the  freedom  and  advantages  to  be  found  in  newly- 
settled  lands.  It  was  this  roving  and  independent  spirit  that 
led  George  Boo oe  to  emigrate  to  America,  and  thatinfluenced 
his  son,  Squire  Booue,  to  remove  from  Pennsylvania  to  North 
Carolina.  This  characteristic  was  inherited  iu  full  by  Daniel. 
He  was  eighteen  years  of  age  when  his  father  we r»t  to  their  new 
home ;  and  as  early  as  1764  he  had  visited  the  eastern  border 
of  Kentucky,  which  was  not  far  from  his  dwelling-place  on 
the  banks  of  the  Yadkin. 

In  1767,  John  U  indlay,  with  a  companion,  discovered  and 
traversed  the  lo.iely  region  of  Central  Kentucky  and  Tennes- 
see, and  brought  to  the  Carolina  settlers  glowing  accounts  of 
the  country.  Among  his  listeners  was  Boone,  who  was  now 
married,  and  who,  with  his  instinctive  dislike  of  crowded  set- 
tlements, had  left  his  father  and  settle  1  in  a  log  cabin  in  the 
Yadkin  Valley  as  its  first  resident.  But  already  others  were 
coming  in,  and  he  therefore  listened  eagerly  to  the  .description 
of  the  beautiful  lands  to  the  westward. 

On  the  first  of  May,  176D,  with  a  small  company  of  com- 
rades, Boone  started  on  his  first  expedition  iuto  that  re^io.", 
which  was  hereafter  to  be  the  scene  of  actions  that  were  to 
make  hini  immortal.  They  found  the  country  beautiful  with 
flowers,  green  grass  and  pleasing  prospects,  and  abounding 
with  buffaloes  and  all  varieties  of  game. 

Near  the  Kentucky  river,  Boone  and  a  friend  named  Stew- 
art were  taken  captive  by  the  Indians,  but  escaped  on  the 
seventh  day.  Daniel  and  his  brother  erected  a  small  cabin, 
and  remained  here  all  winter,  Stewart  having  been  killed  by 


52  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

the  savages,  and  the  remainder  of  the  party  having  retiir  o<l 
to  Carolina.  In  May,  Squire  Boone  set  out  alone  to  return 
to  the  settlements  for  the  purpose  of  procuring  two  horses 
and  ammunition,  thus  leaving  Daniel  alo;;e  and  (as  he  savsi 
without  broad,  salt  or  sugar ;  deprived  of  the  company  of  his 
fellow-creatures,  or  even  a  horse  or  dog ;  alone  in  the  vast 
wilderness  and  five  hundred  miles  from  the  nearest  settle- 
ment. For  three  months  he  continued  his  solitary  existence, 
going  on  exploring  expeditions,  ar.d  often  so  fearful  of  the 
approach  of  the  Indians  that  he  dared  not  sleep  in  his  cabin. 
At  length  his  brother  returned  with  the  horses,  and  the  iwo 
explore!  the  region  between  the  Cumberland  and  the  Green 
rivers.  When  they  again  reached  the  Kentucky  river  they 
resolved  to  make  their  future  home  there. 

After  a  time  they  revisited  North  Carolina,  but  only  with 
the  intention  to  return  and  inherit  this  goodly  land  which  they 
had  seen  and  admired.  A  company  did  actually  start;  but 
among  the  mountains  seven  young  men  of  their  party,  hav- 
ing strayed  f;om  the  rest,  encountered  the  Indians,  who 
killed  six  of  them,  including  one  of  the  sons  of  Boone.  This 
so  disheartened  the  little  band  that  they  turned  aside  to  the 
settlements  on  Clinch  river,  in  Virginia.  During  the  next 
year  (1773-74)  Boone  performed  various  services  as  guide  and 
explorer  for  the  Virginia  government. 

In  the  autumn  of  1774  the  singular  Transylvania  Company 
was  formed.  Eight  private  gentlemen,  at  the  head  of  whom 
was  Richard  Henderson,  conceived  and  carried  out  the  bold 
scheme  of  purchasing  from  the  Cherokee  Indians  a  large 
tract  of  country  in  the  West.  A  council  was  held,  and  the 
red  men  ceded  to  them  all  that  region  between  the  Kentucky 
and  Cumberland  rivers.  With,  this  remarkable  self-consti- 
tuted government  Daniel  Boone  entered  it! to  relations,  con- 
senting to  act  as  guide  and  leader  of  a  small  colony  to  be 
planted  in  the  «  ewly-purchased  territory.  This  advance 
guard  was  to  make  a  road  through  the  wilderness,  and 
Colonel  Henderson  would  follow  with  pack  mules  and  wagons. 
When  within  fifteen  miles  of  the  present  Boonesborough  the 
pioneers  were  attacked  by  the  savages  and  four  men  were 
killed. 

Upon  reaching  the  banks  of  the  Kentucky  the  first  duty 
was  to  build  a  fort,  and  this  was  accomplished  by  Boone  with 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  53 

» 

his  characteristic  thoroughness.  This  structure  subsequent- 
ly became  the  great  tower  of  defence  for  the  young  and 
struggling  colony.  It  was  a  wonderful  work  for  that  time 
and  place,  and  filled  the  Indians  with  alarm  anl  dismay. 
The  houses  inside  the  enclosures  appear  to  have  been  ranged 
along  the  pickets  contiguously,  in  order  to  strengthen  the  de- 
fencev  It  was  rather  unfortunate  that  the  clearing  was  no 
larger  than  the  fort,  as  the  woods  would  a Tord.  shelter  to  the 
enemy.  In  two  months  and  a  half  the  structure  was  com- 
pleted, and  was  no  doubt  regarded  with  feelings  of  pride  by 
all. 

Boone  now  returned  to  North  Carolina  for  his  family,  Mrs. 
Boone  being  the  first  woman  to  brave* the  perils  of  the  wilder- 
ness. Colonel  Henderson  soon  arrived  with  forty  men  ;  the 
clearing  of  land  began  and  a  land-office  was  opened.  Soon 
there  were  four  settlements  and  forts  in  the  region,  and  in 
1775  all  the  pioneers,  in  jlie  capacity  of  a  legislature,  as- 
sembled in  the  open  air  at  Boonesborough  in  response  to  a 
call  to  form  a  state !  This  was  certainly  the  most  extraordi- 
nary legislature  that  ever  met.  They,  however,  with  the  par- 
liamentary formalities,  passed  bills  and  transacted  business 
with  all  possible  gravity. 

The  first  difficulty  with  the  Indians  was  the  capture,  on 
July  14th,  1776,  of  three  young  girls,  two  of  whom  were  the 
daughters  of  settlers  who  had  come  in,  and  the  other  the 
daughter  of  Boone.  They  had  carelessly  crossed  in  a  canoe 
to  the  opposite  side  of  the  Kentucky  river  (the  fort  being  on 
the  bank  of  that  stream)  at  a  late  hour  in  the  afternoon.  The 
merry  girls,  playing  and  splashing  in  the  water,  permitted 
the  canoe  to  drift  to  the  opposite  side.  Lurking  there,  were 
five  hideous  savages,  one  of  whom,  crawling  stealthily  down 
the  bank,  seized  the  rope  attached  to  the  boat  and  drew  it, 
away  out  of  sight  of  t! ic  fort.  The  shrieks  of  the  maidens 
were  heard ;  but  the  cano<«  was  the  only  one,  and  none  dared 
risk  the  chance  of  swimming  the  river,  lest  a  large  body  01 
Indians  might  be  concealed  in  the  woods.  Boone  was  absent 
at  the  time,  but  the  next  morning  he  and  others  were  on  the 
track  of  the  Indians,  and  came  up  with  them  just  as  they 
were  kindling  a  fire  to  cook  their  meal.  Firing  on  them, 
they  wounded  or  killed  two,  and  routed  the  remainder  so 
suddenly  that  they  had  no  time  cither  to  injure  the  "  broken- 


54  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

hearted"  girls  or  to  take  their  moccasins  and  tomahawks 
with  them. 

One  of  Boone's  bravest  and  most  fearless  scouts  was  Simon 
Kenton.  Eight  times  did  he  run  the  gauntlet,  three  times 
he  was  tied  to  the  stake  and  once  nearly  killed  by  a  blow 
from  an  axe.  At  one  time,  when  he  had  taken  an  Indian 
horse,  he  was  seized  and  beaten  by  his  captors  until  their 
arms  were  tried ;  they  then  proceeded  to  secure  him  in  the 
following  manner  for  the  night :  Being  placed  on  his  back, 
his  legs  were  drawn  apart  and  .each  foot  lashed  firmly  to 
stakes  driven  into  the  ground.  A  pole  was  then  laid  across 
his  breast,  his  hands  tied  to  each  end  and  his  arms  lashed 
round  it  v;ith  thongs.  Finally,  a  strap  was  passed  round  his 
neck  and  the  end  secured  to  a  stake  in  the  ground,  his  head 
being  stretched  back  to  prevent  his  choking. 

This  being  the  time  of  the  Eevolutionary  War,  the  savages 
used  frequently  to  visit  their  British  employers  and  allies  ?,t 
Eort  Detroit.  To  this  place  Kenton  was  taken,  and  there 
won,  by  his  deportment,  the  interest  of  the  wife  of  an  In- 
dian trader  named  Harvey. 

A  little  romance  followed,  for  this  lady  promised  to  assist 
the  escape  of  Kenton  and  two  other  Kentuckian  captives, 
and  the  opportunity,  soon  presented  itself.  On  the  3rd  of 
June,  177:*,  the  Indians  assembled  near  the  fort  to  have  a 
"  spree,"  which  meant  to  get  gloriously  drunk  on  British 
whisky.  They  stacked  their  guns  near  Mrs.  Harvey's 
house.  "When  it  was  dark  she  stole  silently  out,  and,  select- 
ing three  of  the  weapons,  hid  them  in  a  patch  of  peas  in  her 
garden.  Hastening  to  Kenton,  she  told  him  what  she  had 
done,  and  instructed  him  to  come  with  the  others  at  mid- 
night to  her  palisaded  garden,  where  they  would  find  a  lad- 
der, by  means  of  which  they  could  climb  over  and  secure  the 
guns.  She  also  told  him  of  a  hollow  tree 'at  some  distance 
from  the  town  in  which  she  had  concealed  such  articles  of 
clothing,  food,  ammunition,  etc. ,  as  they  would  require  on 
their  journey.  At  the  appointed  time  the  captives  appeared 
at  the  garden.  No  time  was  to  be  lost,  as  the  yells  of  the 
drunken  savages  could  be  heard  and  daylight  would  soon  ap- 
pear. Taking  an  affectionate  leave  of  his  benefactress,  Ken- 
ton  set  out  with  his  companions  and  escape  1  safely  to  Ken- 
tuck  v. 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  55 

One  of  the  great  needs  of  the  colonists  was  .bait.  Boone 
headed  an  expedition  to  the  Blue  Licks  for  the  purpose  of 
making  it  by  evaporating  in  kettles  the  water  of  the  famous 
salt  springs  situated  there.  The  undertaking  was  successful 
as  far  as  the  immediate  object  of  it  was  concerned,  but  was 
otherwise  disastrous,  since  all  the  party  were  captured  ex- 
cept the  three  who  had  gone  to  the*  fort  with  the  salt  which 
had  been  manufactured  during  the  month  in  which  they 
were  not  disturbed  by  the  redskins.  This  was  the  beginning 
of  the  long  and  remarkable  captivity  of  Boone,  of  which  I 
shall  presently  speak. 

Before  the  capture  the  following  famous  incident  is  said  to 
have  occurred  :  Boone,  while  hunting  in  the  woods  near  the 
Licks,  came  upon  two  Indians.  Perceiving  that  it  was  use- 
less to  think  of  attempting  a  retreat,  he  slipped  behind  a  tree 
to  let  them  rome  within  rifle-shot,  and  then  exposed  him- 
self ;  the  foremost  levelled  his  gun  ;  at  the  flash  Boone,  who 
well  knew  how  to  dodge  bullets,  again  stepped  behind  the 
tree.  In  the  s-nne  manner  the  next  Indian  was  induced  to 
throw  away  his  bullets,  and  while  they  were  trying,  with 
eager,  trembling  hands,  to  reload,  he  was  upon  them  and 
succeeded  in  shooting  one  of  them  dead. 

The  two  antagonists,  now  on  equal  grounds,  the  one  un- 
sheathing his  knife,  the  other  raising  his  tomahawk,  rushed 
toward  the  body  of  the  Indian  lying  between  them.  Boone 
caught  the  well-aimed  tomahawk  of  his  foe  on  the  barrel  of 
his  rifle ;  and,  being  at  close  quarters,  with  only  the  slain 
savage  intervening,  as  the  redskin,  in  poising  his  weapon, 
exposed  himself  to  attack,  he  plunged  his  knife  up  to  the 
hilt  into  his  body.  This  occurrence  is  commemorated  in 
sculptured  stone  in  a  group  placed  over  the  northern  door  of 
the  Capitol  at  Washington . 

After  the  Indians  had  captured  Boone,  he  took  what  proved 
to  be  the  wisest  course,  submitted  quietly  and  ingratiated 
himself  in  their  favor,and,  when  they  met  the  rest  of  the  party 
at  the  Licks,  signed  to  them  also  to  surrender.  Reposing 
the  greatest  confidence  in  him,  they  did  as  directed,  and 
this,  no  doubt,  was  the  means  of  saving  the  fort ;  for  if  the 
savages  had  not  been  conciliated  here,  but  had  fought  and 
been  victorious,  they  would  certainly  have  gone  on  to  attack 
this  structure,  as  this  had  been  a  part  of  their  programme. 


56  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

They  were  Shawanese  from  Chillicothe,  and  thither  they  im- 
mediately returned,  taking  Boone  with  them. 

They  next  conducted  their  illustrious  captive,  by  a  long 
journey,  to  Detroit,  to  exhibit  him  to  their  friends  and  grati- 
fy their  vanity.  The  comrades  of  Boone  were  delivered  up 
to  Commandant  Hamilton  at  Detroit,  who  offered  the  Indians 
a  large  ransom  for  their  prisoner;  but  they  would  not  ac- 
cept it.  The  taciturn,  quiet,  gentle  and  unassuming  nature 
of  this  hero  pleased  tne  savages,  and  they  purposed  adopt- 
ing him  into  their  tribe.  He  was  formally  adopted  by  a  dis- 
tinguished old  chief  named  Blackfish,  who  had  recently  lost 
a  son,  and  remained  with  the  tribe  four  months. 

The  ceremony  of  adoption  was  a  severe  ordeal.  By  a  pain- 
ful process  his  hair  was  plucked  from  the  head,  leaving  only 
a  scalp-lock  tuft,  which  wa^  dressed  up  in  feathers  and  rib- 
bons. He  was  then  thoroughly  washed  and  taken  to  the 
council-house,  where  a  speech  was  made  to  him,  and  finally 
he  was  generously  overspread  with  paint,  the  ceremony  con- 
cluding with  a  feast  and  pipe-smoking.  His  captors  did  not 
entirely  trust  him,  but  carefully  counted  the  bullets  given 
him  for  hunting,  so  that  he  could  not  conceal  any  for  future 
use ;  but  Boone  outwitted  them  by  halving  the  balls  and 
using  light  charges  of  powder. 

At  length,  when  he  saw  four  hundred  and  fifty  warriors 
painting,  pow-wowing  and  otherwise  preparing  for  an  expe- 
dition against  Boonesborough,  he  determined  to  escape  if 
possible.  Having  always  carefully  concealed  from  them  his. 
accurate  knowledge  of  the  Shawanese  dialect,  he  thus  learned 
all  their  plans.  They  had  ascertained  that  during  his  ab- 
sence the  fort  had  fallen  out  of  repair,  and  anticipated 
an  easy  subjugation  of  it.  Although  appearing  to  evince  no 
interest  in  their  preparations,  and  having  seemingly  become 
an  adopted  son  of  the  tribe,  the  heart  of  Boone  was  secretly 
filled  with  anguish  at  the  thought  of  his  wife  and  children, 
whom  he  believed  to  be  at  the  fort,  although  they,  with  the 
exception  of  one  daughter,  had  in  reality  returned  to  the 
home  of  his  father-in-law. 

On  the  16th  of  June  he  arose  very  early,  went  out  to  hunt 
and  never  returned.  The  flight  of  Boone  to  the  fort  on  the 
Kentucky  river,  one  liuucl  red  and  sixty  miles  away,  is  one 
of  the  most  thrilling  adventures  to  be  found  in  the  annals  of 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  5? 

Indian  warfare.  Four  hundred  and  fifty  fleet-footed  warriors 
were  on  his  track,  stung  to  fury  by  his  ingratitude,  and  by 
the  consciousness  that  he  possessed  their  secrets.  In  this 
remarkable  flight  Boone  occupied  four  days,  during  which 
he  had  but  one  regular  meal,  which  consisted  of  a  turkey 
that  he  had  shot  after  crossing  the  Ohio  river. 

So  disconcerted  were  the  Indians  by  his  e  cape  that  they 
were  unable  to  recover  from  their  surprise  for  three  weeks. 
In  the  meantime  Boone  had  strengthened  the  fort  in  antic- 
ipation of  the  certain  siege  that  was  to  come.  The  Indians 
soon  arrived,  four  hundred  and  fifty  strong,  under  command 
of  Captain  Du  Quesne  and  Blackfish.  Boone  despatched  a 
messenger  to  Colonel  Arthur  Campbell  for  assistance,  and 
then  used  every  device  to  gain  time.  During  a  truce  of  two 
days  the  besieged  were  strangely  permitted  to  bring  into  the 
fort  water  and  provisions. 

After  a  treacherous  attempt  to  seize  Boone  and  eight  others, 
during  a  council,  hostilities  began.  A  siege  had  now  opened 
which  lasted  nine  days  and  night  *  without  intermission. 
The  enemy,  from  their  shelter  in  the  woods,  poured  in  a 
steady  hailstorm  of  lead  against  the  fort;  but  they  did  but 
little  damage  to  any  one,  and  the  one  hundred  and  twenty- 
five  pounds  of  bullets  which  were  picked  up  outside  of  the 
fort  at  the  close  of  the  siege  had  been  thrown  away  to  little 
purpose. 

The  garrison  fought  heroically,  having  only  two  men 
killed  and  four  wounded ;  one  of  the  former  was  the  victim 
of  a  negro  who  had  deserted  from  them,  carrying  with  him 
the  skill  in  shooting  which  he  had  acquired  in  tSe  fort.  This 
renegade  had  climbed  a  tree  and  was  firing  into  the  build 
ing,  when  Boone,  marking  him  and  taking  advantage  of  a 
moment  when  he  exposed  his  head,  sent  a  bullet  toward  him. 
After  the  battle  the  negro  was  found  dead  with  a  ball  in  his 
head,  the  shot  of  Boone  having  been  made  at  a  distance  of 
five  hundred  and  twenty-five  feet.  At  length  the  siege  was 
raised,  and  the  Indians  returned  in  deep  chagrin  at  their 
failure  to  secure  Boone. 

The  terrible  blow  which  the  whites  received  in  August  1782, 
at  the  battle  of  Blue  Licks,  is  too  familiar  to  render  necessary 
more  than  mere  allusion  to  it  here.  The  number  of  settlers 
slain  in  that  battle  was  seventy-seven,  among  whom  was  a 


58  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

son  of  Boone.  A  word  as  to  the  latter  years  of  Boone,  who 
experienced  the  usual  fate  of  great  benefactors.  He  lost  his 
farm  in  Kentucky,  owing  to  some  quibble  about  the  title ; 
and  afterward,  when  he  had  removed  to  Missouri  and  had 
been  granted  a  large  tract  of  land,  he  was  deprived  of  that 
also  by  the  United  States  authorities.  These  despicable  acts 
of  in  justice  will  ever  be  a  stain  upon  the  escutcheons  of 
Kentucky  and  the  United  States,  notwithstanding  the  fact 
that  he  did  finally  receive  from  the  United  States  government 
a  petty  grant  of  eight  hundred  acres  in  Missouri,  upon  which 
he  lived  until  his  death.  He  died  in  1820  at  the  age  of  eighty- 
six,  and  was  buried  in  the  grave  he  had  designated.  In  184S 
the  legislature  caused  his  remains  to  be  brought  to  Frank- 
fort, Ky. 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  59 


CHAPTER  IX. 

WAES  OF    NEW   ENGLAND    AS    TOLD    BY    JUDGE    PENHALLOW,    WHO 
DIED  AT  PORTSMOUTH  IN  1726. 

A  KEOORD  of  nearly  all  the  horrible  deeds  committed  by 
various  tribes  of  Indians  in  New  England  early  in  the  18th 
century,  was  kept  by  Samuel  Penhallow,  a  Christian  gentle- 
man and  a  judge  of  the  Massachusetts  superior  court,  and 
hence  were  not  overdrawn.  We  give  some  excerpts  from  his 
history : 

February  8th,  1704,  Joseph  Bradley's  garrison  of  Haverhill 
was  unhappily  surprised  by  a  small  band  of  Indians,  who 
skulking  at  a  distance,  and  seeing  the  gates  open  and  none 
on  the  sentry,  rushed  in  and  became  masters  thereof.  The 
housewife  perceiving  the  misery  that  was  attending  her,  and 
bavin--'  boiling  soap  on  the  fire,  scalded  one-of  them  to  death. 
The  sentinel  within  was  slain,  and  she  with  several  others 
were  taken;  which  was  the  second  time  of  her  captivity. 
But  that  whic-h  heightened  her  affliction  was  being  with 
child,  and  yet  obliged  to  travel  in  a  deep  snow,  under  a 
heavy  burden,  and  many  days  together  without  subsistence, 
excepting  a  few  bits  of  skin,  ground-nuts,  bark  of  trees,  wild 
onions,  and  lily  roots.  Nevertheless  she  was  wonderfully 
supported,  and  at  last  safely  delivered ;  but  the  babe  soon 
perished  for  want  of  nourishment,  and  by  the  cruelty  of  the 
Indians,  who,  as  it  cried,  threw  hot  embers  in  its  mouth. 
After  a  year's  bondage,  she  was  sold  to  the  French  for  eighty 
livres,  and  then  redeemevl  by  her  husband. 

May  13th,  about  break  of  day,  a  company  of  French  and 
Indians  fell  on  a  fortified  house,  at  Pascomuck,  after  ward 
Easthampton,  Mass.,  where  no  wateh  being  kept,  the  peo- 
ple were  alarmed  in  their  beds,  by  the  noise  of  the  enemy's 
rushing  on  the  house  ;  and  before  the  inhabitants  could  rise, 
the  Indiana  had  shot  those  that  first  appeared,  killing  some 
and  wounding  others.  The  surprised  people  made  what  re- 
sistance they  could,  firing  briskly  on  the  enemy;  but  the 
houso  being  soon  set  on  fire,  they  were  forced  to  yield  them- 
selves prisoners.  The  enemy  soon  drew  off,  but  fearing  a 
pursuit,  dismissed  one  of  the  wounded,  with  this  caution. 


60  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

that  if  the  English  followed  them,  they  would  slay  the  pris- 
oners; but  the  unfortunate  messenger  in  returning  back, 
was  slain  by  another  Indian.  On  the  same  morning,  anoth- 
er party  attacked  a  farm  house,  two  miles  off;  but  the  fury 
of  the  dogs  so  alarmel  the  inhabitants,  that  they  instantly 
got  up  and  tired  several  guns,  to  very  good  advantage,  which 
prevented  any  further  attempt.  As  for  those  at  Pascomuck, 
they  were  immediately  pursued ;  three  made  an  escape,  eight 
were  rescued,  nineteen  slain,  and  three  carried  to  Canada. 

In  the  same  month  intelligence  came  from  Albany  that  a 
number  of  hostile  Indians  were  up  the  Connecticut  river  at 
a  place  called  Cowassuck.  A  company  from  Northampton 
went  after  them.  Not  far  from  the  place,  a  spy  was  sent  out 
with  green  leaves  for  a  cap  and  vest,  to  prevent  his  discovery 
and  to  find  the  enemy.  Y/hen  evening  came  on,  the  search- 
ers moved  toward  the  river,  and  soon  perceived  a  smoke  at 
about  half  a  mile's  distance,  where  it  was  afterward  found 
they  had  taken  up  their  lodging.  About  two  o'clock  in  the 
morninc.T,  the  wigwam  where  they  lay  was  reached.  The 
ground  was  so  covered  with  dry  sticks  and  brush,  for  the 
space  of  five  rods,  thaf  it  could  not  be  passed  without  mak- 
ing such  a  crackling,  as  to  alarm  the  enemy,  and  give  them 
time  to  escape.  A  very  small  cloud  arose,  fortunately  which 
gave  a  smart  clap  of  thunder,  and  a  sudden  shower  of  rain. 
And  this  opportunity  was  embraced  to  run  through  the 
thicket  within  sight  of  the  wigwam.  The  enemies  were 
awake ;  but,  however,  being  unwilling  to  lose  any  time,  the 
attacking  party  crept  on  hands  and  knees  till  within  three  cr 
four  rods  of  them.  Then  arising  they  ran  to  the  side  of  the 
wigwam,  and  fired  in  upon  them :  and  flinging  down  guns, 
surrounded  them,  and  with  clubs  and  hatchets  knocked  down 
several.  But  after  all  diligence,  two  of  their  number  made 
their  escape,  one  mortally  wounded. 

The  Indians  commenced  their  attack  on  Lancaster  on  the 
31st  of  July,  early  in  the  morning.  In  their  first  onset,  they 
killed  Lieut.  Nathaniel  Wilder,  near  the  gate  of  his  own  gar- 
rison ;  and  on  the  same  day,  three  others,  viz.  Abraham  How, 
John  »Spaulding and  Benjamin  Hutchins,  near  the  same  gar- 
rison. 

On  the  8th  of  August,  as  several  persons  were  busy  in 
spreading  flax,  on  a  plain,  about  eighty  rods  from  the  house 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  61 

of  Mr.  Thomas  Bice,  and  a  number  of  boys  with  them,  a  num- 
ber of  Indians,  seven  or  ten,  suddenly  rushed  down  a  woody 
hill  near  by,  and  knocked  on  the  hea<!  NahorRice,  the  young- 
est boy,  and  seized  Asher  and  Adonijah,  sons  of  Mr.  Thomas 
Rice,  and  two  others,  Sila*  and  Timothy,  sonsof  Mr.  Edmund 
Rice,  and  carried  them  away  to  Canada.  The  persons  en- 
gaged in  spreading  flax,  escaped  safely  to  the  house.  Asher, 
in  about  four  years,  returned,  being  redeemed  by  his  father. 
His  brother,  Adonijah,  grew  up  in  Canada,  and  married 
there.  Silas  and  Timothy  mixed  with  the  Indians ;  lost  their 
mother  tongue,  had  Indian  wives,  and  children  by  them ; 
and  lived  at  Cagnawaga.  The  last  became  the  third  of  one 
six  chiefs  of  the  Cagnawagas. 

On  the  15th  of  October  following,  eighteen  Indians  fell  on 
Cape  Neddick,  where  they  took  four  children  of  Mr.  Stover's 
at  a  little  distance  from  the  garrison.  The  youngest,notable 
to  travel,  was  knocked  on  the  head,  the  other  three  were  cur- 
ried captive  ;  but  being  attacked  by  Lieut.  March,  and  los- 
ing one  of  their  company,  they  killed  a  second  child  in  way 
of  revenge. 

Col.  Schuyler  from  time  to  time  was  of  eminent  service  to 
his  country,  who  advised  of  270  men  coming  to  attack  Dun- 
stable  on  the  3rd  of  July.  They  fell  on  a  garrison  that  had 
twenty  troopers  posted  in  it.  They  had  been  ranging  the 
woods  in  the  vicinity,  and  came  toward  night  to  this  gar- 
rison; apprehending  no  danger,  turned  their  horses  loose, 
piled  their  arms  and  harness  in  the  house,  and  began  a  car- 
ousal, to  exhilarate  their  spirits  after  the  fatigues  of  the  day. 
A  party  of  Indians  had  lately  arrived  in  the  vicinity,  and  on 
that  day  had  designed  to  attack  both  Wells'  and  Galusha  s 
garrisons.  One  of  their  number  had  been  stationed  to  watch 
each  of  these  houses,  to  see  that  no  assistance  approached, 
and  no  alarm  was  given.  A  short  time  previous  to  the  ap- 
proach of  the  cavalry,  the  Indian  stationed  at  Wells'  had  re- 
tired to  his  party,  and  reported  that  all  was  safe.  At  suDSot, 
u  Mr.  Camings  and  his  wife  went  out  to  milk  their  cows,  and 
left  the  gate  open.  The  Indians,  who  had  advanced  undis- 
covered, started  up,  shot  Mrs.  ('timings  dead  upon  the 
spot,  and  wounded  her  husband.  They  then  rushed  through 
the  open  gate  into  the  house,  with  all  the  horrid  yells  of  con- 
quering savages,  but  stared  with  amazement  on  finding  the 


62  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

room  filled  with  soldiers  merrily  feasting.  Both  parties  were 
completely  amazed,  and  neither  acted  with  much  propriety. 
The  soldiers,  so  suddenly  interrupted  in  their  jovial  enter- 
tainment, found  themselves  called  to  fight,  when  entirely 
destitute  of  arms,  and  incapable  of  obtaining  them.  The 
greater  part  were  panic-struck,  and  unable  to  fight  or  fly. 
Fortunately,  all  were  not  in  this  sad  condition  :  some  six  or 
seven  courageous  souls,  with  chairs,  clubs,  and  whatever 
they  could  seize  upon,  furiously  attacked  the  advancing  foe. 
The  Indians  who  were  as  much  surprise  1  as  the  soldiers,  had 
but  little  more  courage  than  they,  and  immediately  took  to 
their  heels  for  safety ;  thus  yielding  the  house,  defeated  by 
one  quarter  their  number  of  unarmed  men.  The  trumpeter, 
who  was  in  the  upper  part  of  the  house  at  the  commence- 
ment of  the  attack,  seized  his  trumpet  and  began  sounding 
an  alarm,  when  he  was  shot  dead  by  an  Indian  on  the  stair- 
way. He  was  the  only  one  of  the  party  killed.  The  savages- 
disappointed  in  this  purt  of  their  plan,  immeditely  proceeded 
to  Galusha's,  two  miU-s  distant;  took  possession  of,  and  burnt 
it.  One  woman  only  escaped.  She  sought  refuge  in  the 
cellar,  and  concealed  herself  under  a  dry  cask.  After  hastily 
plundering  the  house,  and  murdering,  as  they  supposed,  ail 
who  were  in  it,  the  Indians  set  it  on  fire  and  immediate-!/  re- 
tired. The  woman  in  this  critical  situation,  attempted  to  es- 
cape by  the  window,  but  found  it  too  small :  she  howevei 
succeeded  in  losening  the  stones  till  she  had  opened  a  hole 
sufficient  to  admit  of  her  passage,  and  with  the  house  ir, 
flames  over  her  hea  1,  she  forced  herself  out,  and  crawled  in- 
to the  bushes,  not  daring  to  rise  for  fear  she  should  be  dis> 
covered.  In  the  bushes  she  lay  concealed  until  the  next  day 
when  she  reached  one  of  the  neighboring  garrisons. 

Joseph  English,  who  was  a  friend  Indian,  was  much  dis- 
tinguished for  his  atta  hment  to  the  white  inhabitants.  In 
a  preceding  war  with  the  Indians,  he  had  been  taken  prison- 
er'from  the  .vicinity  of  Dunstable  and  carried  to  Ca-sada, 
from  whence,  by  his  shrewdness  and  sagacity,  he  effected  his 
escape,  with  one  English  captive,  and  returned  to  his  friends 
in  Dunstable.  The  Indians  had  for  a  long  time  endeavored 
to  retake  him,  for  he  was  peculiarly  obnoxious  to  them. 
While  he  was  accompanying  Capt.  Butterfield  and  his  wife  on 
a  visit  to  their  friends,  they  pursued  him,  and  just  as  he  was 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  (53 

upon  the  point  of  gaining  a  thicket,  they  shot  him  through 
the  thigh,  which  brought  him  to  tiie  ground,  and  they  ui'ter- 
ward  dispatched  him  with  their  tomahawks. 

On  the  bth  of  July,  live  Indians,  a  iittle  before  night,  fell 
on  an  out  house  in  Heading,  where  they  surprised  a  woman 
with  eight  children  ;  the  former  with  the  three  youngest  were 
instantly  dispatched,  and  the  others  they  carried  captive  ;but 
one  of  the  children  unable  to  travel,  they  knocked  on  the 
head,  and  left  in  the  swamp  concluding  it  was  dead,  but  a 
while  after  it  was  found  alive.  The  neighborhood  being 
alarmed,  got  ready  by  the  morning  and  coming  on  their 
track,  pursued  them  so  near  that  they  recovered  three  of  the 
jhildren,  and  put  the  enemy  in  such  a  terror  that  they  not 
only  quitted  their  plunder  and.  blankets,  but  the  other  cap- 
tives also.  Several  strokes  v  ere  afterward  made  on  Chelms- 
ford,  Sudbury  and  Groton,  where  three  soldiers  as  they  were 
going  to  public  worship,  were  way  laid  by  a  small  party,  who 
killed  two  and  made  the  other  a  prisoner. 

At  Exeter,  a  company  of  French  Mohawks,  who  some 
time  kept  lurking  about  Capt.  Hilton's  garrison,  took  a  view 
of  all  that  went  in  and  out;  and  obsciving  some  to  go  with 
their  scythes  to  mow,  laid  in  ambush  till  they  laid  by  their 
arms,  and  while  at  work,  rushed  on  at  once,  and  by  intercept- 
ing them  from  their  arms,  killed  four,  wounded  one,  and  car- 
ried three  captive  ;  so  that  out  of  ten,  two  only  escaped. 

Rebecca  Taylor  was  going  to  Canada,  on  the  bank  of  Mon- 
.  •. ' :  nl  river,  when  she  was  violently  insulted  by  Sampson,  her 
y  master,  who  without  any  provocation  was  resolved  to 
hang  her ;  and  for  want  of  rope,  made  use  of  his  girdle,  which 
when  he  had  fastened  about  her  i.eek,  attempted  to  hoist  her 
up  on  the  limb  of  a  tree  (that  hung  in  the  rature  of  a  gibbet,) 
but  in  hoisting  her,  the  weight  of  her  body  broke  it  asunder, 
which  so  exasperated  the  cruel  tyrant  that  he  made  n  second 
attempt,  resolved  that  if  he  failed  in  that  to  knock  her  on 
the  head;  but  before  he  had  power  to  effect  it.  I 
came  along,  who  seeing  the  tragedy  on  foot,  prevented  the 
fatal  stroke. 

A  child  of  Mrs.  Hannah  Parsons,  of  Wells,  the  Indians,  for 
want  of  food,  determined  to  roast  alive,  but  while  the  fire 
was  kindling,  and  the  sacrifice  preparing',  a  company  of 
French  Mohawks  came  down  the  river  in  a  canoe  with  three 


64  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

dogs,  which  somewhat  revived  these  hungry  monsters,  es- 
pecting  to  make  a  feast  upo-i  one  of  them.  So  soon  as  they 
got  ashore,  the  child  was  offered  in  exchange ;  but  despising 
the  offer,  they  tendered  a  gun,  which  was  readily  accepted, 
a:.d  by  that  means  the  child  was  preserved  from  a  horrible 
death. 

Samuel  Butterfield,  who  being  sent  to  Groton  as  a  soldier, 
was  with  others  attacked  as  they  were  gathering  in  the  har- 
vest ;  his  bravery  was  such,  that  he  killed  one  arid  woundod 
another,  but  being  overpowered  by  strength,  was  forced  to 
submit ;  and  it  happened  that  the  slain  Indian  was  a  Saga- 
more, and  of  great  dexterity  in  war,  which  caused  matter  of 
lamentation,  and  enraged  them  to  such  a  degree  that  they 
vowed  the  utmost  revenge ;  some  were  for  v.  hipping  him  to 
death,  others  for  burning  him  alive ;  but  differing  in  their 
sentiments,  they  submitted  the  issue  to  the  squaw  widow, 
concluding  she  would  determine  something  very  dreadful, 
but  she  answered  :  "  If  by  killing  him  you  can  bring  my  hus- 
band to  life  again,  I  beg  you  study  what  death  you  please  , 
but,  if  not,  let  him  be  my  servant;"  which  he  accordingly 
was,  duri  'g  his  captivity,  and  had  favor  shown  him. 

Of  all  the  Indians  ever  known  since  King  Philip,  never  any 
appeared  so  cru  1  and  inhumane  as  Assacambuit,  that  insult- 
ing monster  who,  by  the  encouragement  of  the  Trench,  went 
over  to  Paru,  and  being  introduced  to  the  king,  lifted  up  his 
hand*in  the  most  arrogant  manner  imaginable,  saying  "this 
hand  of  mine  has  slain  one  hundred  and  fifty  of  your  Majes- 
ty's enemies,  within  the  territories  of  New  England,"  etc. 
His  impudent  speech  was  so  pleasing  to  that  bloody  mon- 
arch that  he  forthwith  knighted  him,  and  ordered  eight 
livres  a  day  to  be  paid  him  during  life ;  which  so  exalted  the 
wretch  as  at  his  return,  to  exert  a  sovereignty  over  the  rest 
of  his  brethren,  by  murdering  one,  and  stabbing  another,- 
which  so  exasperated  those  of  their  relations,  that  they 
8nnght  revenge,  and  would  instantly  have  executed  it,  but 
that  he  fled  his  country,  and  never  returned  after. 

At  Casco,  Indians  intercepted  a  fishing  boat  sailing  be- 
tween the  islands,  in  which  were  five  men,  three  of  whom 
they  killed,  and  took  the  other  two.  August  10th,  1707,  they 
waylaid  the  road  between  York  and  Well«s,  a"d  as  four  horse- 
men were  riding  in  company  with  Mrs.  Littlefield,  who  had 


66  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

• 

the  value  of  sixty  pounds  with  her,  were  all  opt  one, 

who  made  his  escape. 

On  the  18th  of  August,  as  two  women  in  Northborougk, 
Mass.,  were  out  a,  short  distance  from  the  fort  gathering 
herbs,  the  Indians  discovered  and  pursued  them.  One  Mrs. 
Mary  Fay  got  safe  into  the  fort;  the  other,  Mary  Goodenow, 
a  young  and  unmarried  woman,  was  taken  and  carried  over 
the  brook  into  the  edge  of  Maiiborough,  and  there,  a  little 
south  of  the  great  road,  an  1  nigh  to  Sandy  Hill,  she  was 
killed  and  scalped.  The  enemy  were  pursued  and  overtaken 
in  what  is  now  Sterling,  where  a<».  obstinate  engagement  took 
place,  in  which  Joh.i  Farrar  and  Richard  Singletary,  were 
killed.  The  Indians  at  length  lied,  leaving som«  plunder  and 
some  of  their  packs,  in  one  of  which  the  scalp  of  Mary  Good- 
enow  was  found. 

A  most  aflicti.-g  stroke  was  at  Oyster  river,  where  thirty 
French  Mohawks,  who  appeared  like  so  many  furies  with 
their  naked  bodies  pai  ted  like  blood,  and  observing  some  at 
work  hewing  timber,  and  others  driving  a  team,  they  fell 
violently  upon  them  with  such  hideous  noise  and  yelling  as 
made  the  very  woods  to  echo.  At  the  first  shot,  they  killed 
seven,  and  mortally  wounded  another. 

On  April  12th,  1709,  a  soout  fell  on  I.-eerfield,  and  took  Me- 
human  Hinsdell,  as  i  e  was  driving  a  cart,  which  was  the  sec- 
ond time  of  his  captivity.  And  on  May  6th,  another  party 
within  three  miles  of  Exeter,  surprised  several  as  they  were 
going  to  a  saw-mill.  A  few  days  after,  Capt.  Wright  oil 
Northampton,  with  several  English,  and  two  Na  ick  Indians, 
adventuring  to  the  lake,  within  forty  miles  of  fort  La  Motte, 
killed  and  wounded  two  or  three  of  the  French  Mohawks ; 
and  on  their  return  up  French  river,  met  with  another  body 
of  the  enemy  in  canoes,  on  whom  they  fired,  and  overset, 
killed  and  wounded  several  of  them.  In  this  company,  was 
William  Moody,  who  being  now  alone  with  but  one  Indian 
in  a  canoe,  was  encouraged  by  the  English  to  kill  said  In- 
dian, and  make  his  escape,  which  lie  attempted,  but 
the  canoe  in  the  struggle,  and  taen  "loody  s>vam  toward 
English  for  relief,  whereupon,  Lieut.  John  Wells,  with 
or  two  more,  ra.s  do  n  t'i:>  br,  oiped  him  ashore.  In 

the  meantime,  a  number  of  the  enemy  came  fco  the  bank, 
and  wounded  John  Stro  <g,  and  killed  the  lieutenant,  who 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  67 

had  been  a  man  of  very  good  courage,  find  well  spirited  to 
serve  his  country,  and  so  the  loss  of  him  was  much  lamented. 
Hereupon,  Moody  unhappily  resigned  himself  again  into  the 
enemy's  hands,  who  most  inhumanly  tortured  him,  by  fast- 
ening him  a  stake,  and  roasting  him  alivt,  vvhose  flesh  they 
afterward  devoured . 

On  the  20th  of  July,  1710,  six  men  were  making  hay  in  the 
meadows,  when  the  Indians,  who  had  been  watching  an  op- 
portunity to  surprise  them,  sprang  suddenly  upon  them,  dis- 
patched five,  and  took  the  other,  John  White,  prisoner. 
White,  spying  a  small  company  of  his  people  at  a  distance, 
jumped  from  the  Indian  who  held  him,  and  ran  to  join  his 
friends ;  but  the  Indian  fired  after  him,  and  wounded  him  in 
the  thigh,  by  which  lie  fell;  but  soon  recovered  av.d  running 
again,  he  was  again  fired  at,  and  received  his  death  wound. 
This  was  the  last  mischief  done  by  Indian*  at  Brookfleld. 

August  2i:d, between  forty  and  fifty  French  and  Indians  fell 

on  Winter  Harbor,  where  they  killed  a  woman  and  took  two 

liien.    The  week  after,  tney  came  with  a  far  superior  number, 

killed  three,  and  carried  away  six,  one  of  the  slain  they  bar- 

.  ,:ade  themselves  girdles  of  his  skin. 

June  1st,  1712,  Indians  at  Spruce  Creek  shot  John  Picker- 

,o  was  locking  his  door,  and  going  to  the  garrison ; 

•  also  wounded  his  wife    and    knocked    a  child    on  the 

head,  which  they  scalped,  yet  after,  aid  ir  iccovered.    Two 

rs  after  they  were  seen   at  Amesbury,  then  at  Kingston. 

where  they  woui.ded  Ebenezer  Stevens  a  uen  Giiin 

the  latter  of  which  they  took  alive  a;  d  i  "od. 

is,  they  killed  ono  vichawanick,  and  on   July 

ivc,  who  afterward  made  his  escape. 
i  to  intercept  the  poop  o 

•:as  they  came  Irom   worship ;  upon   which  a  scout 
•  sentin  pura.-iit,  b;it   made  no  discovery.     Yet  in  the  in- 
termitting time,  they  took  two  children  from  Lieut.  Heard  s 
garrison,  and  not  ha v-  •   to  scalp  them,  cut  oif  bota 

their  heads  ar  '  them  away. 

In  1720,  Capt.  Thomas  Baker  of  Northampton,  in  ;:he 
county  of  Hampshire,  in  Massachusetts,  set  out  with  a  scout- 
ing party  of  thirty- four  men,  passed  up  Connecticut  river, 
aud  crossed  the  height  of  land  to  Pemigewasset  river.  He 


68  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

there  discovered  a  party  of  Indians,  whose  sachem  was 
called  Walternummus,  whom  he  attacked  and  destroyed. 
Baker  and  the  sachem  levelled  and  discharged  their  guns  at 
each  other  at  the  same  instant.  The  ball  from  the  Indian's  gun 
grazed  Baker's  left  e\ebrow,but/Iid  him  no  injury.  The  ball 
from  Baker's  gun  went  through  the  breast  of  the  sachem. 
Immediately  upon  being  wounded,  he  leaped  four  or  five  feet 
high,  and  then  fell  instantly  dead.  The  Indians  fled  to  the 
river ;  Baker  and  his  party  pursued,  and  destroyed  every  one 
of  them.  They  had  a  wigwam  on  the  bank  of  the  river, 
which  was  nearly  filled  with  beaver.  Baker's  party  took  us 
much  of  it  as  they  could  carry  away,  and  burned  the  rest. 
Baker  lost  none  of  his  men  in  this  skirmish.  It  took  place  at 
the  confluence  of  a  small  river  with  the  Pemigewasset,  be- 
tween Plymouth  and  Campton,  which  afterward  had  the 
name  of  Baker's  river. 

As  Deacon  Jo.-eph  Stevens  and  four  of  his  sons  were  making 
hay  in  a  meadow,  at  Kutlancl,  on  the  14th  of  August,  1723, 
they  were  surprised  by  five  Indians.  The  father  escaped  in 
the  bushes ;  two  of  the  sons  were  slain,  and  two  were  made 
prisoners.  Two  of  the  five  Indians  waylaid  a  Mr.  Davis  and 
son,  who  that  afternoon  were  making  hay  in  the  meadow 
not  far  off,  but  weary  of  waiting,  they  were  returning  to  the 
others,  and  met  Kev.  Joseph  Willard  in  their  way,  who  was 
armed.  One  of  the  Indian's  guns  missed  fire,  the  others  did 
no  execution.  Mr.  Willard  returned  the  fire  and  wounded 
one  of  them,  mortally ;  the  other  closed  in  with  Mr.  Willard ; 
but  he  would  have  been  more  than  a  match  for  him,  had  not 
the  other  three  come  to  his  assistance  and  killed  Mr.  Willard. 

April  17th,  1724,  William  Mitchel,of  Scarborough,  was  shot 
as  he  was  ploughing  in  the  field.  They  then  fell  on  a  sloop 
a  Kennebuuk,  which  belonged  to  Lynn,  and  killed  the  whole 
company.  But  the  greatest  stroke  was  on  Capt.  Winslow, 
who  with  sixteen  men  in  two  whale-boats,  went  from  St. 
George's  to  the  Green  Islands,  which  the  enemy  frequented 
on  the  account  of  fowling.  But  on  their  return,  they  were 
ambuscaded  by  two  or  three  companies  of  'them  that  lay  on 
each  side  the  river.  The  first  that  fell  was  Sergeant  Harvey, 
who  commanded  the  other  boat ;  for  by  keeping  too  near  the 
shore,  he  gave  the  enemy  the  greater  advantage  :  however, 
h©  returned  the  shot  with  as  much  bravery  as  could  b»  ex- 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  6D 

pected,  till  overpowered  by  a  multitude.  Capt.  Winslow,  who 
was  considerably  ahead  and  out  of  danger,  perceiving  the 
engagement,  courageously  returned  back  to  their  assistance. 
But  before  he  could  give  them  any  relief,  he  was  surroir.cled 
with  about  thirty  canoes,  who  made  a  hideous  yelling ;  but  lie 
gave  them  no  answer  bi.it  from  the  muzzles  of  his  guns.  A 
smart  engagement  followed,  which  held  till  night:  when  find- 
ing his  thigh  broken,  and  most  his  men  slain,  he  was  oblige*] 
to  hasten  ashore ;  but  there  also  he  found  himself  unhappily 
waylaid.  They  fell  on  him  with  utmost  fury,  yet  his  cour- 
age continued  until  the  last;  for  he  rested  himself  on  his 
other  knee,  and  killed  an  Indian  before  they  had  power  to 
slay  him.  He  was  the  grandson  of  Governor  Winslo  A  of 
Plymouth. 

Sylvan  us  Nock,  a  worthy  elder  of  the  church  at  Oyster 
river,  soon  after  this,  was  slain  as  he  was  on  horseback. 
Myles  Thompson, of  Berwick,  was  the  same  day  also  killed  by 
another  party,  and  his  son  was  carried  captive.  A  few  days 
after,  they  again  beset  Capt.  Penhallow's  garrison  where  they 
took  three  as  they  were  driving  their  cows  to  pasture,  and  at 
their  drawing  off  killed  a  great  many  cattle.  Another  party 
fell  on  Kingston,  where  they  took  Peter  Colcord,  Epliraim 
Severns,  and  t\vo  of  Mr.  Stevens'  children,  whom  they  car- 
ried to  Canada;  but  by  the  unwearied  pains  and  expense  of 
Mr.  Stevens, he  in  a  little  time  purchased  his  children.  Col- 
cord,  about  six  months  after,  made  his  escape  aod  got  unto 
his  friends,  but  did  riot  survive  long. 

May  24th,  they  shot  George  Chesley  as  he  was  returning 
from  public  worship,  with  whom  was  Elizabeth  Burnum,  who 
was  mortally  wrounded.  Three  days  after,  they  went  to  Per- 
pooduck,  where  they  killed  one  and  wounded  another,  and 
then  marched  to  Saco,  where  they  slew  David  Hill,  a  friend 
Indian.  On  the  same  day,  another 'party  went  to  Chester, 
where  they  took  Thomas  Smith,  with  another  whom  they 
pinioned,  but  soon  after,  they  made  their  escape' 

The  frontiers  alarmed  at  these  outrages,  two  companies  of 
volunteers  went  from  New  Hampshire  on  a  bounty  act,  (one 
hundred  pounds  a  scalp,)  and  it  happened  that  Moses  Davis, 
as  he  was  weeding  his  corn,  went  unto  a  brook  to  drink, 
where  he  saw  three  Indian  packs,  upon  which  he  informed 
tfre  troops  that  were  then  coming  out.  He,  with  his  son, 


70  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

went  before  as  guides,  but  by  an  ambushrnent,  were  both 
shot  dead.  The  English  then  fired  on  them,  who  killed  one, 
and  wounded  two  more,  but  could  not  iind  either  of  the  lat- 
ter, although  they  tracked  them  by  their  blood  some  way. 
The  assernb  y  of  New  Hampshire  then  sitting,  ordered  th$ 
aforesaid  sum  of  one  hundred  pounds  to  be  paid. 

The  next  damage  they  did,  was  at  Groton,  but  were  so 
closely  pursued,  that  they  left  several  of  their  packs  behind. 
About  which  time,  news  came  to  Deer  field  of  a  body  of  In- 
dians discovered  up  Connecticut  river.  Cupt.  Thomas  Wells 
rallied  a  company  of  men,  and  went  in  quest  of  them,  but 
made  no  further  discovery,  till,  upon  their  return  home, 
about  four  miles  from  Deerfield,  three  of  the  company  (sup- 
posing themselves  out  of  danger ,  rode  at  some  distance  be- 
fore the  rest,  and  unhappily  fell  into  an  ambushrnent  of  the 
enemy  near  a  swamp,  and  were  all  three  killed  by  them.  But 
the  company  behind  hearing  the  guns,  rode  up  with  all 
speed,  and  came  upon  the  enemy  while  they  were  scalping 
the  slain;  and  firing  upon  them,  wounded  several.  Upon 
which  the  enemy  fled  into  the  swamp,  and  the  English  dis- 
mounting their  horses,  ran  in  after  them,  and  tracked  them 
a  considerable  way  by  the  blood  of  the  wounded,  but  found 
none.  However,  they  recovered  ten  packs,  and  heard  after- 
ward that  two  died  of  their  wounds,  and  a  third  lost  the  use 
of  his  arm.  Another  company  fell  on  Spurwink,  where  they 
mortally  wounded  Solomon  Jordan,  as  he  was  coining  out  of 
the  garrison.  Next  day,  July  18th,  Lieut.  Bean  went  in  quest 
of  them,  and  came  up  with  a  scout  of  thirty,  whom  he  en- 
gaged and  put  to  flight,  leaving  twenty-tive  packs,  twelve 
blankets,  a  gun,  a  hatchet,  and  sundry  other  things  behind 
them. 

The  enemy  not  finding  so  great  encouragement  in  attack- 
ing our  frontiers  as  they  expected,  were  now  resolved  to  turn 
pirates,  and  accordingly  intercepted  several  of  our  fishery  as 
they  went  in  and  out  the  harbors  for  wood,  water,  or  in  case 
of  storms,  and  accordingly  made  up  a  fleet  of  fifty  canoes, 
who  designed  at  first  for  Mohegen,  but  going  through  the 
Fox  Islands,  and  seeing  several  vessels  at  anchor,  surprised 
eight  with  little  or  no  opposition  ;  in  which  were  forty  men, 
twenty  of  whom  they  put  to  death,  reserving  the  skippers 
and  best  sailors  to  navigate  for  them,  After  this,  they  took 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  71 

fourteen  more ;  and  with  the  assistance  of  the  Cape  Sable  In- 
dians, became  so  powerful  and  desperate,  that  at  first  they 
terrified  all  vessels  that  sailed  along  the  eastern  shore.  They 
then  went  to  St.  Georges  with  a  design  to  burn  that  garrison ; 
in  order  whereto,  they  filled  a  couple  of  shallops  with  com- 
bustible matter,  which  they  set  on  fire,  but  it  was  happily 
extinguished.  They  then  offered  terms  on  surrendering, 
which  were  rejected.  And  finding  that  neither  force  nor  in- 
sinuation would  prevail,  they  withdrew,  and  sailed  to  An- 
napolis, expecting  to  surprise  the  fort ;  but  firing  at  a  soldier 
in  their  march,  gave  an  alarm,  and  a  detachment  issued 
forth,  who,  after  a  smart  dispute,  gave  them  a  perfect  rout, 
but  not  without  loss  to  the  whites. 

At  Kutland,  they  killed  three  men,  wounded  one,  and  took 
another  Aug.  23rd,  1724  ;and  at  Oxford,  beset  a  house  that  lay 
under  a  hill,  but  as  one  of  the  enemy  attempted  to  break 
through  the  roof,  he  was  shot  by  a  woman  of  the  house. 
At  Oyster  river,  and  Berwick,  they  killed  one,  wounded  a  sec- 
ond, and  carried  away  a  third. 

Capts.  Harmon,  Moulton,  Brown  and  Bean  were  now  pre- 
paring for  Norridgewock,  with  two  hundred  men  in  seven- 
teen whale-boats.  After  they  landed  at  Triconnick,  they 
met  with  Bomaseen  at  Brunswick,  (who  had  slain  an  English- 
man some  days  before)  whom  they  shot  in  the  river,  as  he 
attempted  to  make  an  escape.  They  afterward  killed  his 
daughter,  and  took  his  wife  captive ;  who  gave  an  account 
of  the  state  of  the  enemy,  which  encouraged  them  to  march 
on  briskly;  and  on  August  12th,  they  got  within  two  miles  of 
the  place.  Capt.  Harmon  drew  off  with  about  sixty  men  to 
range  their  corn  fields,  in  hopes  of  finding  some  there,  imag- 
ining they  saw  some  smoke.  Capt.  Moulton,  with  about 
a  hundred  men  moved  forward,  and  when  he  came 
within  view  of  the  -town,  artfully  divided  them  into  three 
squadrons,  of  thirty  in  each,  having  ordered  ten  to  guard 
their  baggage,  and  a  squadron  on  each  wing  to  lie  in  am- 
bush, whilfe  he  with  the  like  numtoer  encountered  them  in  the 
front.  He  went  on  with  such  resolution,  that  he  got  within 
pjstol  shot  before  he  was  discovered.  The  Indians  were  un- 
der amazing  terror;  yet  in  their  surprise  some  of  them 
snatched  up  their  guns  and  fired :  but  their  hands  shook  and 
they  did  no  execution.  They  immediately  betook  them- 


72  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

selves  to  flight,  and  in  running  fell  on  the  muzzles  of  their 
pursuers'  guns  that  lay  in  ambush.  They  were  pursued  so 
warmly,  that  several  were  slain  on  the  spot ;  more  got  into 
their  canoes,  and  others  ran  into  the  river,  which  was  so 
rapid,  and  the  falls  in  some  places  so  great,  that  many  of 
them  were  drowned.  By  this  time  Capt.  Harmon  came  up, 
who  was  not  so  happy  as  to  discover  any  of  the  enemy  where 
he  expected.  The  number  of  the  dead  which  were  scalped, 
'were  twenty-six,  beside  Monsieur  Ealle,  the  Jesuit,  who  was 
a  bloody  incendiary,  and  instrumental  to  most  of  the  mis- 
chiefs done  the  white  people  by  preaching  the  doctrine  of 
meriting  salvation  by  the  destruction  of  heretic  -.  Some  say 
that  quarter  was  offered  him,  which  he  refused,  and  would 
neither  give  nor  take  any.  After  this,  they  burnt  and  de- 
stroyed the  chapel,  canoes,  and  all  the  cottages  that  lay 
round ;  they  also  took  four  Indians  alive,  and  recovered  three 
captives. 

The  number  in  all  that  were  killed  and  drowned  was  sup- 
posed to  be  eighty,  but  some  say  more ;  the  greatest  victory 
we  have  obtained  in  the  last  three  or  four  wars :  and  it  may  be 
as  noble  an  exploit  (all  things  considered)  as  ever  happened  in 
the  time  of  King  Philip.  About  seventy  French  Mohawks 
were  now  making  a  descent  on  the  frontiers,  who  divided 
into  several  parties  and  killed  a  great  number  of  cattle.  Some 
of  them  fell  on  the  house  of  John  Hanson  of  Dover,  who  be- 
ing a  stiff  Quaker,  full  of  enthusiasm,  and  ridiculing  the  mili- 
tary power,  would  on  no  account  be  influenced  to  come  into 
garrison ;  by  which  means  bis  whole  family  (then  at  home) 
being  eight  in  number,  were  all  killed  and  taken.  But  some 
time  after,  his  wife  and  two  or  thre3  of  his  children  were  re- 
deemed with  considerable  pains  and  expense. 

September  4th,  they  fell  on  Dunstable,  and  took  two  in  the 
evening;  next  morning,  Lieut.  French,  with  fourteen  men, 
went  in  quest  of  them ;  but  being  waylaid,  both  he  and  ono 
half  of  his  company  were  destroyed.  After  that,  as  many 
more  of  a  fresh  company  engaged  them,  but  the  enemy  being 
much  superior  in  number  overpowere  .1  them,  with  the  loss  of 
one  man  and  four  wounded. 

On  the  Monday  after,  they  killed  Jabez  Colemaa  of  Kings- 
ton, with  his  son,  as  they  were  gathering  corn  stalks.  About 
the  same  time,  Nathaniel  Ed  ward  i  of  Northampton  was  killed  ; 


INDIAN   MASSACRES.  7ij 

and  the  next  day,  the  same  company  of  Indians  went  to 
Westfield,  and  fell  on  several  people  as  they  were  coming  out 
of  the  meadows  with  their  carts  loaded,  and  wounding  one 
man  had  certainly  taken  him,  but  some  of  our  men  bravely 
faced  about,  and  attempted  a  shot  upon  them.  But  their 
guns  all  missing  fire  except  Mr.  Noah  Ashley's,  his  went  off 
and  shot  down  one  of  the  enemy,  which  put  a  stop  to  their 
further  pursuit  of  the  English.  Hereupon  a  company  rallied, 
and  went_aftor  the  enemy,  and  quickly  found  the  Indian 
whom  Ashley  had  slain.  And  taking  the  scalp,  said  Ashley 
brought  it  to  Boston,  and  received  one  hundred  pounds  re- 
ward for  it. 


INDIAN   MASSACRES. 


CHAPTEEX. 

CAPTAIN  JOHN  LOVEWELL'S  MEMORABLE  BATTLE  WITH  THE  INDIANS 

AT  FIIYEBURG. 

THE  story  of  Love  well's  fight  with  the  Indians  was  one  of 
the  nursery  tales  of  New  Hampshire  for  many  years.  It  took 
place  on  the  18th  of  April,  1725,  and  was  one  of  the  fiercest 
and  most  obstinate  battles  on  record.  John  Lovewell  was  a 
son  of  Zaccheus  Lovewell,  and  au  ensign  in  the  army  of 
Oliver  Cromwell,  who  came  to  this  country  and  settled  at 
Dunstable,  Mass.,  where  he  died  at  the  great  age  of  120 
years,  the  oldest  white  man  it  is  said,  who  ever  died  in  New 
Hampshire.  With  34  men  he  fought  the  famous  Indian  chief 
Pangus,  at  the  head  of  70  savages,  near  the  shores  of  a  pond 
in  Pequacket.  Love  well's  men  were  determined  to  conquer 
or  die,  although  outnumbered  more  than  one-half.  They 
fought  till  Loveweli  and  Pangus  were  killed,  and  all  the 
Captain's  men  but  nine  were  either  killed  or  wounded  dan- 
gerously. The  savages  having  lost,  as  was  supposed,  60  of 
their  number,  and  being  convinced  of  the  fierce  and  deter- 
mined resolution  of  their  foes,  at  length  retreated  and  left 
them  masters  of  the  ground.  The  scene  of  this  desperate 
and  bloody  action  was  at  the  place  where  Fryeburg,  Me.,  is 
now  located. 

Capt.  Lovewell,  who  was  endowed  with  a  generous  spirit 
and  resolution  of  serving  his  country,  and  well  acquainted 
with  hunting  the  woods,  raised  a  company  of  volunteers,  and 
marched  some  miles  beyond  their  common  head-quarters. 
On  the  easterly  side  of  Winn.episeogee  ponds  he  crossed  au 
Indian  track,  and  soon  after  espied  two  of  them,  whose  mo- 
tions he  watched  all  the  day,  and  at  night  silently  came  upon 
them  as  they  lay  asleep  round  their  fire.  At  his  first  firing, 
he  killed  seven,  after  that,  two  more,  and  wounded  another, 
which  was  their  whole  company. 

April  13th,  172-1,  there  came  two  Indians  to  Maquoit,  and 
took  one  Cockrarn,  a  soldier  of  about  eighteen  years  of  age, 
whom  they  carried  thirty  miles  into  the  woods.  The  first 
night  they  pinioned  him,  but  lef  c  him  loose  the  second.  He 
took  an  opportunity,  as  they  were  asleep,  to  knock  them 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  75 

bobh.  on  the  head,  scalp  them,  and  take  their  guns.  A  vessel 
from  Causo  arrived  about  this  time  bringing  an  account  of 
70  Indians  falling  on  an  outhouse  in  view  of  th©  garrison, 
where  they  killed  seven  men,  one  woman  and  a  child.  This 
news  animated  Capt.  Lor  swell  to  make  another  attempt  on 
Pigwackat.  Before  going  they  buUt  a  fort  near  Ossipee,  to 
have  resource  unto  iu  onse  of  danger,  as  also  for  the  relief  of 
any  that  might  be  sick  or  wounded;  and  having  one  of  his 
me<a  at  this  time  sick,  he  left  the  doctor  with  eight  men  more 
to  gua-rd  him :  with  the  rest  of  his  company,  he  proceeded  in 
qu§st  of  the  enemy.  On  May  the  8th,  about  ten  in  the  morn- 
ing, forty  miles  from  said  fort,  near  Saeo  poud,  he  saw  an  In- 
dian on  a  point  of  land,  upon  which  they  immediately  put 
off  their  blankets  and  knapsacks,  and  made  toward  him, 
concluding  that  the  enemy  were  ahead  and  not  in  the  rear. 
Yet  they  were  not  without  some  apprehensions  of  their  being 
diseove-red  two  days  before,  and  that  the  appearing  of  o;ie 
Indian  in  so  bold  a  manner,  was  on  purpose  to  ensnare  them. 
Wherefore,  the  Captain  calling  his  men  together,  proposed 
whether  it  was  best  to  en  gage  them  or  not ;  who  boldly  replied, 
"  that  as  they  came  out  on  purpos-o  to  meet  the  enemy,  they 
would  rather  trust  Providence  with  their  lives  and  die  for 
their  country,  than  return  without  seeing  them."  Upon  this, 
they  proceeded  and  mortally  wounded  the  Indian,  who  not- 
withstanding returned  the  fire,  and  wounded  Capt.  Love  well 
in  the  belly.  Upon  which  Mr.  Wyraan  fired  and  killed  him. 
But  their  dismantling  themselves  at  this  juncture,  proved  an 
unhappy  snare ;  for  the  enemy  taking  their  baggage, 
their  strength  by  the  number  of  their  packs,  wh^ra  thay  lay 
in  ambush  till  they  returned,  and  made  the  first  shot ; 
was  answered  with  ranch  bravery,  killing  nine.  The  en- 
counter was  smart  and  desperate,  and  the  victory  seemed  as- 
sured till  Capt.  Loveweli  with  several  moro  wore  slein  and 
wounded,  to  the  number  of  twelve :  upon  \vhioh  the  men  *ere 
forced  to  retreat  unto  a  pond,  betwean  which  and  the  enemy 
was  a  ridge  of  ground  that  proved  a  barrier.  Tho  engage- 
ment continued  ten  hours,  but  although  the  shouta  of  the 
enemy  were  at  first  loud  and  terrible,  yet  after  some  time 
they  became  sensibly  low  and  weak,  and  their  appearance  to 
lessen.  Now  whether  it  was  through  want  of  ammunition, 
or  on  the  account  of  those  that  were  slain  and  wounded,  that 


76  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

the  enemy  retreated,  certain  it  is,  they  first  drew  off  and  left 
the  ground.  And  although  many  of  our  men  were  much  en- 
feebled by  reason  of  their  wounds,  yet  none  of  the  enemy  pur- 
sued them  in  their  return.  Their  number  was  uncertain,  but 
by  the  advice  which  we  afterward  received,  they  were  sev- 
enty in  the  whole,  whereof  forty  were  said  to  be  killed  upon 
the  spot,  eighteen  more  died  of  their  wounds,  and  that 
twelve  only  returned.  An  unhappy  instance  at  this  time  fell 
out  respecting  one  of  the  men,  who  when  the  fight  began, 
was  so  dreadfully  terrified,  that  he  ran  away  to  the  fort,  tell- 
ing those  who  were  there,  that  Capt.  Love  well  was  killed  with 
most  of  his  men ;  which  put  them  into  such  consternation 
that  they  all  drew  off,  leaving  a  bag  of  bread  and  pork  be- 
hind, in  case  any  of  their  company  might  return  and  be  in 
distress. 

The  whole  lost  in  the  engagement  were  fifteen,  beside 
those  that  were  wounded.  Eleazar  Davis  of  Coneord  was  the 
last  that  got  in,  who  first  came  to  Berwick  and  then  to  Ports- 
mouth, where  he  was  carefully  provided  for,  aad  kad  a  skill- 
ful surgeon  to  attend  him.  The  report  he  gave  was,  that 
after  Capt.  Lovewell  was  killed,  and  Lieut.  Farwell  and  Mr. 
Bobbins  wounded,  that  ensign  Wyman  took  upon  him  th© 
command  of  the  shattered  company,  who  behaved  himself 
with  great  prudence  and  courage,  by  animating  the  men  and 
telling  them,  "  that  the  day  would  yet  be  their  own,  if  their 
spirits  did  not  flag ;  "  which  enlivened  them  a»ew,  and  caused 
them  to  fire  so  briskly,  that  several  diseifce^ged  between 
twenty  and  thirty  times  apieee.  He  further  added,  that 
Lieut.  Farwell,  with  Mr.  Frye,  their  efoaplaln,  Josiah  Jones, 
and  himself,  who  were  all  wounded,  mafoiied  toward  th©  fort ; 
but  Jones  steered  another  way,  and  after  a  loag  fatigue  and 
hardship,  got  safe  into  Saoo.  Mr.  Frye  t&ree  days  after, 
through  the  extremity  of  his  woma.de,  began  t©  Mnt  and 
languish,  and  died. 

Mr.  Jacob  Fullam,  who  was  an  officer  and  aa  ©oly  soa,  dis- 
tinguished himself  with  muoh  brainery.  One  of  the  first  that 
was  killed  was  by  his  right  hand ;  and  when  ready  to  encoun- 
ter a  second,  it  is  said  that  he  a&d  his  adversary  fell  at  the 
rery  instant  by  each  other's  shot. 

Lieut.  Bobbins,  being  sensible  of  his  dying  state,  desired 
one  of  the  company  to  charge  his  gun  and  leave  it  with  him, 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  ?7 

being  persuaded  that  the  Indians,  by  morning,  would  come 
and  scalp  him,  being  desirous  of  killing  one  more  before  he 
died.  Solomon  Kies,  wounded  in  three  places,  lost  so  much 
blood  that  he  was  unable  to  stand  anylouger;  but  in  the 
heat  of  the  battle,  calling  to  Mr.  Wyman  said,  he  was  a  dead 
man ;  however,  he  said  that  if  it  was  possible,  he  would  en- 
deavour to  creep  into  som©  obscure  hole,  rather  than  be  in- 
sulted by  these  bloody  Indians :  but  by  a  strange  providence, 
as  he  was  creeping  away,  he  saw  a  oanoe  in  the  pond,  which 
he  rolled  himself  into,  and  by  a  favorable  wind  (without  any 
assistance  of  his  own)  was  driven  so  many  miles  on,  that  he 
got  safe  to  the  fort. 

Mr.  Wyman,  who  distinguished  himself  in  such  a  signal 
manner,  was,  on  his  return,  presented  with  a  silver-hilted 
sword,  and  a  captain ' s  commission.  Edward  Lingfleld  was 
made  an  ensign,  and  the  general  assembly  (to  show  a  grate- 
ful acknowledgment  to  the  soldiers,  and  a  compassionate 
sympathy  to  the  widows  and  orphans,)  ordered  the  sum  of 
fifteen  hundred  pounds  to  be  given  them,  and  for  further 
encouragement  of  volunteers,  ordered  four  shillings  a  day  to 
be  paid  every  one  that  would  enlist,  beside  a  bounty  of  one 
hundred  pounds  a  scalp.  Upon  which  a  great  many  brave 
men,  under  the  command  of  Capt.  White,  Capt.  Wyman,  and 
others,  went  out,  but  the  extremity  of  the  heat  prevented 
their  marching  far.  Many  of  them  sickened,  and  some  died 
after  their  return  ;  particularly,  Capt.  White  and  Capt.  Wy- 
man, whose  deaths  were  very  much  lamented. 

The  following  song  was  written  at  the  time,  to  commemo- 
rate Lovewell  s  great  fight,  which  is  reproduced  here  as 
worthy  of  a  place  in  this  little  volume.  The  tune  is  not  des- 
ignated : 

Of  worthy  Captain  LOVEWEI«L,  I  purpose  now  to  sing, 
How  vatiantly  he  served  bis  country  and  his  King; 
He  and  his  valiant  soldiers,  did  range  the  woods  full  wide, 
And  hardships  they  endured  to  quell  the  Indians'  pride. 

Twas  nigh  unto  Pigwack-et,  on  the  eighth  day  of  May, 
They  spied  a  rebel  Indian  soon  after  break  of  day; 
He  on  a  bank  was  walking,  upon  a  neck  of  land, 
Which  leads  into  a  pond  as  we're  made  to  understand. 

Our  men  resolved  to  have  him,  and  travel'd  two  miles  round, 
Until  they  met  the  Indian,  who  boldly  stood  his  ground ; 
Then  speaks  up  Captain  LOVEWELL,  r<  take  you  good  heed,"  says  he, 
*'  This  rogue  is  to  decoy  us,  I  very  plainly  see. 


INDIAN    MASSACRES. 

"  The  Indians  lie  in  ambush,  in  somo  place  ni^h  at  hand, 
In  order  to  surround  us  upon  this  neck  of  land ; 
Therefore  we'll  march  in  order,  and  each  man  leave  his  pack, 
That  wo  may  briskly  fight  them  when  they  make  their  attack." 

They  cam©  unto  tfaia  Indian,  who  did  them  thus  defy, 
As  econ  as  they  came  nigh  him,  two  guns  he  did  let  fly, 
Which  wounded  Captain  LOTKWBLL,  and  likewise  one  man  more, 
But  wheathia  rogue  was  running,  they  laid  him  in  his  gore. 

Theu  having  scalped  the  Indian,  they  went  back  to  the  spot, 
Where  they  had  laid  their  packs  down,  but  there  they  found  them  not, 
For  tho  Indians  having  spied  them,  when  they  them  down  did  lay, 
Did  seize  them  for  their  plunder,  and  carry  them  away. 

These  rebels  lay  in  ambush,  this  very  place  hard  by. 

So  that  an  English  soldier  did  one  of  them  espy, 

And  cried  out,  "  here's  an  Indian,"  with  that  they  started  out, 

As  fiercely  as  old  lions,  and  hideously  did  shout. 

With  thai  our  valiant  English,  all  gave  a  loud  huaea, 
To  show  the  rebel  Indians  they  feared  them  not  a  straw: 
So  now  the  fight  began,  and  as  fiercely  as  could  be, 
The  Indians  ran  up  to  them,  but  soon  were  forced  to  flee. 

Then  spake  up  Captain  LOVEWELL,  when  first  the  fight  began 
tl  Fight  on  mj  valiant  heroes  !  you  see  they  fall  like  rain." 
For  as  we  are  inf  orin'd,  the  Indians  were  so  thick, 
A  man  could  scarcely  fire  a  gun  and  not  Borne  of  them  hit. 

Then  did  the  rebels  try  their  best  our  soldiers  to  surround, 

But  they  could  not  accomplish  it,  because  there  was  a  pond, 

To  which  our  men  retreated  and  covered  all  the  rear, 

The  rogues  were  forc'd  to  flee  thorn,  although  they  skulked  for  fear. 

V 

Two  logs  there  were  behind  them  that  close  together  lay, 
Without  being  discovered,  they  could  not  get  away; 
Therefore  our  valiant  English^  they  traveled  in  a  row, 
And  at  a  handsome  distance  as  they  were  wont  to  go. 

'Twas  ten  o'clock  in  the  morning,  when  first  the  fight  began, 
And  fiercely  did  continue  until  the  setting  sun; 
Excepting  that  the  Indians  gome  hours  before  'twas  night, 
Drew  off  into  the  bushes  and  ceas'd  a  while  to  figkt. 

Bat  soon  again  returned,  in  Hvjrce  and  furious  naood, 
Shouting  as  in  the  morning,  but  yet  not  half  so  loud; 
For  os  we  are  informed,  eo  thick  and  fast  they  fell, 
Scarce  twenty  of  their  number,  at  night  did  get  home  well, 

And  that  our  valiant  English,  till  midnight  there  did  stay, 
To  see  whether  the  rebels  would  have  another  fray ; 
But  they  no  more  returning,  they  made  els  toward  their  home, 
And  brought  away  their  wounded  as  far  as  t&sy  ooald  e«aa>e. 

Of  all  our  valiant  English,  there -were  but  fehirby-fo-ar, 

And  of  the  rebel  Indians,  there  were  about  foursoore. 

And  sixteen  of  otir  English  did  safely  home  r*fcura, 

The  rest  were  kili'd  and"  woaudsd,  for  whtoa  we  ail  must  Hwarn, 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  79 

Oar  worthy  Gaptak  LOVEWELL,  among  febem  tkere  did  die, 
They  killed  Lieut.  ROSBINS,  and  wounded  good  young  FBTE, 
Who  was  our  English  Chaplain ;  he  many  Indians  slew, 
And  some  of  them  he  scalo'd  when  bullets  round  him  flew. 

Yonng  FTTLLAM  too  I'll  mention,  because  he  fought  so  well, 
Endeavoring  to  save  a  man,  a  sacrifice  he  fell; 
But  vet  our  valiant  Englishmen  in  fight  were  ne'er  dismayed, 
But  still  they  kept  their  motion,  and  WYMAN  Captain  made, 

"Who  shot  the  old  chief  PANGUS,  which  did  the  foe  defeat, 
Then  set  his  men  in  order,  and  brought  off  the  retreat; 
And  braving  many  dangers  and  hardships  in  the  way, 
They  safe  arriv'd  at  Dunstable,  the  thirteenth  day  of  May. 


80  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 


«  CHAPTER  XT. 

GENERAL    HARRISON  ANL  THE   INDIANS— TECUMSEH   -THE    PROPHET 
ELSKWATAWA— INDIAN  DEFEAT  AT  TIPPECANOE. 

IN  1770,  a  woman  of  one  of  the  southern  tribes,  domesti- 
cated with  the  Shawanees,  gave  birth  to  triplets,  Who  re- 
ceived the  names  of  Teeuraseh,  Elskwatawa  and  Kumsha- 
ka.  Their  father  was  :i Shawauce  warrior  who  was  killed  in 
a  battle  at  Point  Pleasant.  By  the  time  Tecumseh  had  at- 
tained the  age  of  manhood  he  had  already  become  noted  as 
a  bold  and  sagacious  warrior.  Elskwatawa  proclaimed  him- 
self a  prophet,  commissioned  by  th©  Great  S.drifc  to  foretell, 
and  to  hasten,  by  his  own  efforts,  the  destruction  of  in- 
truders, and  by  various  appeals  to  tli©  vanity,  the  supersti- 
tion, and  the  spirit  of  revenge,  of  his  auditors,  lie  acquired 
a  strong  and  enduring  miluene-e.  The  chiefs  who  opposed 
or  ridiculed  his  pretensions  were  denounce  1  as  wizards  or 
sorcerers,  and  proofs,  satisfactory  to  the  minds  of  the  J  - 
dians,  being  abdueed  in  support  of  the  accusation,  numbers 
perished  afe  th®  stake,  leaving  a  cle-ar  Held  for  the  operations 
of  the  impostor.  Kumshaka,  the  other -brother,  is  unknown 
to  fame. 

In  September,  1809,  while  Tec-umseh  was  pushing  his  in. 
trigue^  among  various  distant  tribes,  Governor  Harrison  ob- 
tained a  cession,  for  certain  stipulated  annuities,  of  a  large 
tract  of  land  on  the  lower  portioa  of  the  Wabash,  from  the 
tribes  of  tke  Miamis,  Delawares,  Pottawstomies,  and  Kick- 
apoos.  Tecumseh  aad  his  brother  made  vehement  remon- 
strances against  this  proceeding,  and  a  some  what  stormy 
interview  took  place  between  the  great  chief  and  Governor 
Harrison,  each  party  being  attended  by  a  powerful  armed 
force.  Upon  this  occasion,  Tecumseh  first  openly  avowed 
his  design  of  forming  an  universal  coalition  of  the  Indian 
nations,  by  which  the  progress  of  the  whites  westward  should 
be  arrested,  but  he  still  insisted  that  it  was  not  his  intention 
to  make  war.  One  great  principle  which  he  endeavored  to 
enforce  was  that  no  Indian  lands  should  be  sold,  except 
consent  of  all  the  confederate  tribes.  Two  days  after  this 
conference  he  started  for  the  south,  with  a  few  attendant 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  81 

warriors,  'o  spread  disaffection  among  the  Greeks,  C&erokees 
and  other  tribes  of  the  southern  states. 

Tn  1811,  during  the  prolonged  absence  of  Teeumseh,  and 
contrary,  as  is  supposed,  to  his  express  instructions,  bold 
and  audaeffrus  depredations  and  murders  were  committed  by 
the  horde  of  savages  gathered  at  the  Prophet's  town.  Bep- 
resentations  were  forwarded  to  Washington  of  the  necessity 
for  active  measures  in  restraint  of  these  outrages,  and  a  regi- 
ment,  under  Colonel  Boyd,  was  promptly  marehed  from 
Pittsburg  to  Vincennes,  and  placed  under  command  of  Har- 
rison. With  this  force,and  a  body  of  militia  and  volunteers, 
the  whole  amounting  to  about  nine  hundred  men,  the  gover- 
nor marched  from  Fort  Harrisoa,  on  the  Wabaeli,  for  the 
Prophet's  town,  on  the  28th  of  October.  The  troops  en- 
camped uear  the  town  on  the  5th  of  November.  Before  day- 
break next  morning  the  treaohercwis  Indians  had  stealthily 
crept  up  near  the  sentries,  with  the  intention  of  rushing 
upon  them  and  killing  them  before  they  could  give  the 
alarm.  But  fortunately  one  of  the  sentries  discovered  an 
Indian  creeping  toward  him  through  the  grass,  and  fired  at 
him.  This  was  immediately  followed  by  the  Indian  yell, 
and  a  furious  charge  upon  the  left  flank. 

The  onset  of  the  Indians,  stimulated  as  they  were  by  the 
assurances  of  their  prophet,  that  certain  suxseees  awaited 
them,  was  unprecedented  for  fury  and  determination.  They 
numbered  from  live  hundred  to  a  thousand,  and  were  led  by 
White  Loon,  Stone-Eater,  and  a  treacherous  Pottawatomie 
chief  named  Win ne mac.  The  Prophet  took,  personally,  no 
share  in  the  engagement.  The  struggle  continued  until  day- 
light, when  the  assailants  were  driven  off  and  dispersed.  The 
Indians  immediately  abandoned  their  town,  which  the  army 
proceeded  to  destroy,  tearing  down  the  fortifications  and 
burning  the  buildings.  The  object  of  the  expedition  being 
thus  fully  accomplished,  the  troops  were  marched  back  to 
Vincennes. 

In  the  battle  at  Tippecanoe,  the  loss  of  the  victors  was 
probably  greater  than  that  of  fee  savages.  Thirty-eight  of 
the  latter  were  left  dead  upon  the  ileld :  of  the  whites,  fifty 
were  killed,  and  nearly  one  hundred  wounded.  It  is  not  to 
be  supposed  that  the  Prophet's  influence  maintained  its 
former  hold  upon  his  followers  after  this  defeat.  He  takes 


82  INDIAN   MASSACRES. 

Indeed,  from  tkis  time  forward,  a  place  in  history  entirely 
subordinate  to  his  warlike  and  powerful  brother.  An  inter- 
val of  comparative  quiet  succeeded  this  over-throw  of  tho 
Prophet's  concentrated  forces,  a  quiet  destined  t^»be  broken 
by  a  far  more  extensive  aad  disastrous  war.  When  open 
hostilities  commenced  between  Eaglaad  and  the  United 
States,  in  1812,  it  was  at  once  evident  that  tke  former  country 
ha'-1  pursued  her  old  policy  of  rousing  Tip  tke  savages  to  r 
a§H,  our  defenseless  frontier,  with  unprecedented  suo«*i&. 
Tecumseh  proved  a  more  valuable  coadjutor,  if  possible, 
than  Brant  had  been  during  the  revolution,  in  unifriag  the 
different  natioas  against  the  American  imterest. 

A  strong  British  fortress  at  Mald«a,  oa  tke  eastern  0-r  Caa- 
ada  shore  of  Detroit  river,  proved  a  rendezvous  for  the  kos- 
tile  Indians,  of  the  utmost  danger  to  the  inhabitant's  of  the 
north-western  frontier.  The  place  was  under  the  command 
of  the  British  General  Proctor ;  the  cffieer  whose  infamous 
neglect  or  countenance  led  to  the  massacre  of  a  body  of 
wounded  prisoners  at  Fren-cktown,  on  the  river  Baisiia,  in 
January,  1S13.  This  post  was  abattde&ed  by  the  British  and 
Indians,  about  the  tiri^e  &f  the  invasion  of  Camada,  in  Sep- 
tember, of  the  above  year,  by  tke  American  troops  under 
Harrison. 

General  Harrisoa  hastened  in  pursuit  of  the  enemy  up  the 
Thames  river,  and,  on  tke  4tk  of  October,  encamped  a  few 
miles  above  the  forks  of  tlie  river,  and  erected  a  slight  forti- 
fication. On  the  5th,  the  memorable  battle  of  the  Thames 
was  fought.  General  Proctor  awaited  the  approach  of  the 
American  forces  at  a  place  cboee-n  by  himself,  ne*r  Moravian 
town,  as  presenting  a  favorable  position  for  a  stand.  His 
forces,  in  regulars  and  Indians,  ratker  out-nurnbdred  those 
of  his  opponents,  being  set  down  at  two  thousand  eight  hun- 
dred;  the  Americans  numbered  twenty-five  hundred,  most- 
ly militia  and  volunteers.  The  British  araay  was  flaak@d, 
on  the  left,  by  the  river  Thames,  and  supported  by  artillery, 
end  on  the  right  by  two  extensive  swamps,  rtmniag  meanly 
parallel  to  the  river,  and  occupied  by  a  strong  body  of  In- 
dians, who  were  commanded  by  Tecumseh  in  person. 

The  British  line  was  broken  by  the  first  charge  of  Cornel 
Johnson's  mounted  regiment,  and  being  thrown  into  irre- 
trievable disorder,  the  troops  were  unable  to  rally,  or  oppose 


INDIAN   MASSACRES.  83 

any  Hrfck@<r  ©ffeetiv©  resistance.  Nearly  the  whol«  army 
stuTe.ad«r«l  at  diseretioja.  Proctor,  with  a  few  companions, 
eiifec£*d  kis  escape.  The  Indians,  protected  by  the  covert 
where  they  were  posted,  were  not  so  easily  dislodged.  They 
maintained  their  position  until  after  the  defeat  of  their  En- 
gtith  associate*  and  the  death  of  their  bray©  leader.  By 
whose  hand  Tecums«rh  fell,  does  not  appear  to  be  decisively 
settled ;  but,  a-eeorcling  to  the  ordinarily  received  account, 
he  was  rushing  upon  Colonel  Johnson,  with  his  tomahawk, 
wlve-n  the  Latter  &hot  him  de&d  uith  a  pistol. 

This  batti©  was,  in  effect,  the  conclusion  of  the  North- 
Wc>.ate4-a  Iadi«Ji  war.  Deputations  from  various  tribes  ap- 
peared sning  for  pea-.-e ;  and  during  this  and  the  ensuing 
year,  wh*n  Geoerals  Harrison  and  Cass,  with  Governor  Shel- 
by, were  appointed  commissioners  to  treat  with  the  North- 
vv^steru  tribes,  important  treaties  were  effected.  Tecum»*h 
wa-s  buried  near  the  field  of  battle. 


84  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

ACQUISITION  OF    INDIAN    LANDS    BY    THE    GOVERNMENT — GENERALS 
ATKINSON  AND  DODGE'S  CAMPAIGN— BLACK- HAWK' S  SURRENDER.      / 

IN  July,  1830,  a  treaty  was  formed  at  Prairie  du  Chien,  be- 
tween United  States  commissioners  and  the  tribes  of  the 
lowas,  Sioux,  Omawhas,  Sacs  and  Foxes,  for  the  purpose  of 
finally  arranging  the  terms  upon  which  the  lands  east  of  the 
Mississippi  should  be  yielded  up.  The  Sac  chief,  Keokuk, 
was  present,  and  assenting  to  the  arrangement  in  behalf  of 
his  people ;  but  a  strong  party,  headed  by  the  celebrated 
Black-Hawk,  utterly  refused  to  abide  by  it.  This  chief  was 
then  between  sixty  and  seventy  years  of  age,  and  had  been, 
from  early  youth,  a  noted  warrior. 

To  enforce  the  removal  of  the  Sacs  from  their  villages,  on 
Rock  river,  General  Gaines  visited  that  locality  in  June, 
1831.  He  proceeded  up  the  river  in  a  steamer,  with  several 
pieces  of  artillery  and  two  companies  of  infantry.  Before 
the  close  of  the  month  the  forces  of  the  United  States  and  the 
state  militia  took  possession  of  the  settlement.  The  Indians 
made  no  attempt  at  resistance,  and  betook  themselves  to  the 
western  bank  of  the  Mississippi.  In  the  spring  of  the  follow- 
ing year,  the  Sacs  began  to  straggle  back  to  their  old  towns 
in  Illinois ;  and  Black-Hawk,  with  a  considerable  force  of  his 
warriors,  marched  up  Rock  river,  with  the  avowed  intent  of 
spending  the  summer,  and  raising  a  supply  of  corn  among 
the  Pottawatomies,  in  accordance  with  an  invitation  from 
that  tribe.  He  proceeded  quietly  and  peaceably  up  the  river 
offering  no  violence  to  either  the  persons  or  property  of  the 
white  inhabitants.  A  body  of  mounted  militia,  under  Major 
Stillman,  set  out  in  pursuit  of  the  Indians  about  the  middle 
of  May.  On  their  approach  to  his  temporary  quarters, 
Black-Hawk  sent  a  number  of  his  followers  to  meet  and  con- 
fer with  the  commanding  officer;  but  it  so  happened,  either 
through  mistake  as  to  their  intentions,  or  from  a  reckless  de- 
pravity on  the  part  of  certain  of  the  whites,  that  several  of 
these  emissaries  were  killed. 

Roused  by  this  injurious  treatment,  the  Indian  chief  pre- 
pared to  fall  upon  his  pursuers  at  a  point  where  an  ambuscade 


INDIAN   MASSACRES.  S"5 

could  be  rendered  most  effective.  It  is  sui  1  that  when  the 
militia  came  up,  he  had  but  about  forty  warriors  with  him, 
(the  rest  of  his  men  being  off  in  pursuit  of  game, )  while  the 

s  numbered  no  less  than  two  hundred  and  seventy'  As 
these  undisciplined  troops  were  crossing  Sycamore  creek,  in 
entire  disorder,and  without  any  precaution  against  a  surprise, 
they  were  liercely  attacked  by  the  Indians.  The  route  was 
complete:  unable  to  form,  or  to  offer  any  effectual  resist- 
since,  thewnites  were  driven  off,  leaving  eleven  of  their  num- 
ber dead  upon  the  field.  Great  excitement  was  produced  by 
tiiis  skirmish,  and  a  large  army  of  militia  was  called  into 
service  by  Governor  Reynolds.  Agents  were  sent  to  confirm 
the  good -will  of  the  Winnebagos,  and  other  tribes,  and  the 
services  of  several  hundred  of  the  Menomonics  and  Sioux 
were  ev.  listed  ;: gainst  the  dangerous  intruders. 

Black-Hawk  and  his  party,  feeling  themselves  now  fully 
committed,  were  not  slow  in  following  up  the  advantage 
gained  by  the  terror  inspired  by  the  engagement  at  Syca- 

•  reek.     Between  the  breaking  out  of  the  war  and   the 

beginning  of  the   month  of  August  the  Indians  committed 

.   and  various  skirmishes  took  place  between 

and  t!  e  troops  sent  in  pursuit.  A  little  settlement  on 
Indian  Creek  w;;s  plundered.  Fifteen  of  the  inhabitants 

killed,  and  two  young  girls,   by  the  name  of  Hall,  one 

!i  and  the  other  eighteen  years  of  age,  were  carried  in- 

.\ccordingtot  it  universal  custom  of 

the  North  American  Indians,  these  female  prisoners  were  not 

:-d  to  the  -lightest  insu  t  or  outrage,  but  were  as  well 
cared  for  as  circumstances  would  allow.  They  were  after- 
ward ransomed,  at  a  large  price,  and  returned  to  their 
friends. 

Little  mercy  was  shown  to  any  of  Black-Hawk  s  followers 
-ion  of  success  on  the  part  of  the  whites.    Five 
persons  were  killed  near  Galena  on  the  14th  of  June,  ami, 
shortly  after,  twelve  Indians,  supposed  to  be  c  !  with 

the  attacking  party,  were  pursued  and  driven  into  a  neigh- 
boring swamp.  When  overtaken,  although  they  made  nore- 
f-istanoo,  they  were  every  one  killed  and  scalped  by  the 

bes. 

llio  condition  of  I  lack-Hawk  and  his  band  grew  daily  more 
miserable,  from  destitution,  exposure,  and  starvation.  An 


86  INDIAN    MASSACRES. 

end  would  speedily  have  been  put  to  their  operations,  but 
for  that  terrible  disease,  the  cholera,  by  which  the  Unite:! 
States  troops,  on  their  route  from  the  east  to  the  soe»e 
tion,  where  almost  wholly  disabled.  Driven  from  his  en- 
campment at  the  !•' our  Lakes  by  the  approach  of  G*ue«r.~:. 
Atki  .son,  Black-Hawk  retreated  down  the  Wisconsin,  ex- 
pecting to  find  provisions  aud  assistance  among  the  Indians 
in  that  direction.  General  Dodge,  with  a  strong  force  of 
militia,  followed  close  on  his  trail.  He  cam©  up  with  the 
fugitives  on  the  2Ist  of  July.  The  Indians  were  about 
ing  the  river  when  they  were  attacked,  and,  but  for  the  com- 
ing on  of  night,  couid  hardly  have  escaped  entire  destruc- 
tion or  capture.  They  lost  in  the  encounter  not  far  from  fort/ 
men.  The  discomfited  savages  continued  their  flight  down 
the  river  in  their  boats,  beset  on  every  side  by  enemies,  and 
with  an  overwhelming  force— Dodge's  army  having  been 
joined  by  Atkinson  and  his  troops  in  hot  pursuit.  Some  of 
the  boats,  conveying  these  poor  wretches,  were  upset,  aud 
many  of  those  in  them  drowned  ;  the  greater  number,  how- 
ever, fell  into  the  hands  of  their  enemies  in  their  passage. 
Many  of  the  children  were  found  to  be  in  such  a  famished 
state  that  they  could  not  be  revived. 

Having  reached  the  mouth  oi:  the  river,  on  the  first  of 
August,  Black-Hawk  prepared  to  cross  tha  Mississippi,  but 
was  prevented  by  a  force  on  board  the  steamboat  Warrior. 
He  did  not  wish  to  fight,  but  to  escape ;  and  when  the  steam- 
boat fell  in  with  him,  ke  used  every  means  to  give  the  cap- 
tain of  her  to  unio  rs  tan  d  that  he  desired  to  surrender.  He 
displayed  two  white  flags,  and  about  one  hundred  and 
fifty  of  his  men  approached  the  river  without  arms,  and 
made  signs  of  submission.  Th©  only  reply  was  a  discharge 
of  canister  and  musketry  from  the  boat,  which  was  returned 
from  the  shore.  After  about  am  hour's  firing,  which  resulted 
in  ike  destruction  of  more  than  twenty  of  the  Indiana,  tiro 
boat  moved  off  to  procure  a  supply  of  wood. 

Next  morning  General  Atkinson,  with  the  who!©  force  iu 
pursuit,  (sixteen  hundred  men)  came  up  with  the  remnant  of 
the  euemy.  Retreat  was  cut  off  on  every  side,  and  the  half- 
starved  and  dispirited  savages  were  shot  and  cut  down  at 
the  pleasure  of  the  Irresistible  numbers  vrho  surrounded 
them.  The  f  oils  wing  is  extracted 


88  INDIAN  MA&S  ACRES. 

shortly  after  this  deeisiv®  and  final  engagement.  "  The  feat- 
tie  lasted  upwards  of  three  hours.  About  fifty  of  the  enemy's 
women  and  children  were  taken  prisoners,  and  many,  by  ac- 
cident, in  the  battle,  were  killed.  When  the  Indians  were 
driven  to  the  bank  of  the  Mississippi,  some  hundreds  of  men, 
women,  and  children,  plunged  into  the  river,  and  hoped,  by 
diving,  etc.,  to  escape  the  bullets  of  our  guns ;  very  few,  how- 
ever, escaped  our  sharp-shooters." 

Historians  generally  speak  of  an  action  in  which  the  In- 
dians prove  successful  as  a  "  massacre,"  but  the  above- 
described  proceeding  is  dignified  by  the  name  of  a  battle ! 
Black-Hawk,  who,  with  a  few  followers,  managed  to  effect 
his  escape,  afterward  declared  that,  upon  the  approach  of 
the  American  army,  he  and  his  warriors  made  no  attempt  at 
resistance,  offering  to  surrender  themselves  unconditionally, 
and  that  they  only  used  their  arms  when  it  was  apparent 
that  the  successful  pursuers  had  not  intention  of  showing 
quarter.  It  is  hard  t©  cleeide  npon  the  true  state  of  the 
case. 

His  cause  now  being  palpably  hopeless,  and  most  of  his 
remaining  warriors  having  yielded  themselves  prisoners,  or 
been  taken  by  the  various  bands  of  Indians  friendly  to  the 
whites,  Black-Hawk  surrendered  himself  at  Prairie  du  Chien, 
on  the  27th  of  August.  With  several  other  chiefs  he  was  tak- 
en to  Washington,  and  after  holding  conference  with  Presi- 
dent Jackson,  was  confined,  for  a  period,  at  Fort  Monroe,  on 
an  island  dear  Old  Point  Comfort,  on  the  Chesapeake.  Here 
the  captive  warriors  were  well  and  kindly  treated,  and  in 
•Tune,  1833,  there  being  no  longer  any  necessity  for  detaining 
them  as  hostages,  they  were  set  at  liberty. 

Black-Hawk  lived  thenceforth  in  peace  with  the  whites. 
He  settled  upon  the  Des  Moines  river,  where  he  died  in 
1838.  The  body  of  the  old  warrior,  in  accordance  with  his 
own  wishes,  expressed  shortly  before  his  death,  was  disposed 
in  Indian  style.  No  grave  was  made;  but  his  body  was 
placed  in  a  sitting  position,  with  his  cane  between  his  knees 
and  grasped  in  his  hands ;  slabs  or  rails  were  then  piled  up 
about  him.  Such  v\  as  the  end  of  Black-Hawk.  Here,  how- 
ever, his  bones  did  not  long  rest  in  peace,  but  they  were 
stolen  from  their  place  of  deposit  some  time  in  the  following 
winter ;  but  about  a  yaar  after,  it  was  discovered  that  thay 


INDIAN    MASSACRES,  80 

were  in  possession  of  a  surgeon,  of  Quincy,  Illinois,  to 
whom  some  person  had  sent  them  to  be  wired  together. 
When  Governor  Lucas,  of  Iowa,  became  acquainted  with  the 
facts,  they  were,  by  his  requisition,  restored  to  his  friends. 


INDIAN  MASSACBES. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

FRENCH  WAK  WITH  THE  NATCHEZ  _AND   CHICKASAW8— RAVAGES  Off 
SMALL-POX  AND  RUM  AMONG  OTHER  TRIBES. 

THE  Catawbas,  who  dwelt  between  the  Carolinas  and  the 
country  of  the  Cherokees,  by  intercourse  with  the  whites, 
they  became  very  degraded  and  drunkenness,  indolence,  and 
poverty  were  obviously  prevalent  among  them.  They  were 
a  numerous  and  warlike  people  when  South  Carolina  was 
first  settled,  mustering  about  fifteen  hundred  warriors ;  but 
small-pox  and  the  use  of  ardent  spirits  had,  about  1775,  re- 
duced them  to  less  then  one-tenth  of  their  former  numbers. 

The  Upper  Cherokees  inhabited  the  high  and  mountain- 
ous region  of  the  Appalachian  range,  and  that  upon  the  up- 
per portions  of  the  Tennessee.  The  Lower  tribe  occupied 
the  country  around  the  head  waters  of  the  Savannah  and 
Chatahoochee,  to  the  northward  of  the  Muscogees  or  Creeks 
proper.  About  the  year  1735  they  were  computed  by  old 
traders  to  number  six  thousand  fighting  men.  They  had 
sixty-four  populous  towns.  In  1738,  nearly  half  of  them  per- 
ished by  the  small-pox.  The  strange  remedies  and  enchant- 
ments used  to  stay  -its  progress,  were  remarkable.  One 
course  was  to  plunge  the  patients  into  cold  running  water. 
The  result  of  which  operation  was  speedily  fatal.  A  great 
many  killed  themselves ;  for,  being  naturally  proud,  they 
despaired  of  regaining  their  former  beauty — some  shot  them- 
selves, others  cut  their  throats,  some  stabbed  themselves 
with  knives,  and  others  with  sharp-pointed  canes ;  many 
threw  themselves  with  sullen  madness  into  the  fire,  and  there 
slowly  expired,  as  if  they  had  been  utterly  divested  of  the 
native  power  of  feeling  pain.  One  of  them,  when  his  friends 
had  restrained  these  frantic  efforts,  and  deprived  him  of  his 
weapons,  went  out,  and  taking  a  thick  and  round  hoe-helve, 
fixed  one  end  of  it  in  the  ground,  and  repeatedly  threw  him- 
self on  it  till  he  forced  it  down  his  throat,  when  he  immedi- 
ately expired. 

The  Creeks  were  a  nation  formed  by  the  union  of  a  number 
of  minor  tribes  with  the  Muscogees,  who  constituted  the  nu- 
cleus of  the  eombinatien.  About  the  middle  ©f  the  eight- 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  91 

eenth  century,  they  were  computed  to  number  three  thou- 
!*and  five  hundred  men  capable  of  bearing  arms.  They  had 
learned  the  necessity  of  secluding  those  infected  with  the 
small-pox,  so  as  to  avoid  the  spread  of  the  contagion,  and 
their  general  habits  and  usages  were  such  that  they  were 
fast  increasing,  instead  of  diminishing,  like  all  the  surround- 
ing tribes. 

While  the  Floridas  wei  e  in  the  possession  of  Spain,  the 
Creeks  were  surrounded  by  belligerent  powers,  both  native 
and  European,  and  they  appear  to  have  a  dopted  a  very  shrewd 
and  artful  policy  in  their  intercourse  with  each.  There  was 
a  French  garrison  in  their  country ;  the  English  settlements 
lay  to  th  »  north  and  east,  and  those  of  the  Spaniards  to  the 
south;  and  the  old  sages  of  tlio  tribe  "  being  long  informed 
by  the  opposite  parties  of  the  different  views  and  intrigues 
of  those  foreign  p:»  >  pui- 1  them  annual  tribute  under 

the  vague  appellation  of  presents,  were  become  surprisingly 
crafty  in  every  turn  of  low  politics."  The  French  were  very 
successful  in  their  efforts  to  conciliate  the  good-will  of  the 
Muscogees,  and  in  alienating  them  from  the  English. 

The  country  of  the  Choctaws  extended  from  that  of  the 
Muscogees  to  the  Mississippi,  reaching  northward  to  the 
boundaries  of  tho  Chickasaws :  their  lower  towns  on  the  river 
were  about  two  hundred  miles  north  of  New  Orleans. 

The  strange  custom  of  flattening  the  head,  prevalent 
among  some  other  American  tribes,  obtained  with  the  Choc- 
taws.  The  operation  was  performed  by  the  weight  of  a  bag' 
of  sand  kept  upon  the  foreheads  of  the  infants  before  the 
skull  had  hardened.  This  process  not  improbably  affected 
the  powers  of  the  rnind. 

The  French  had  acquired  great  influence  over  the  Choc- 
ta\vs,  and  their  masterly  skill  enabled  them  to  do  more  with 
those  savages,  with  trifles,  than  all  our  experienced  man- 
agers <5f  Indian  affairs  have  been  ab!o  to  effect  by  the  great 
quantities  of  valuable  goods  they  gave  them  with  a  very  pro- 
fuse hand.  The  former  bestowed  their  small  favors  with  ex- 
quisite wisdom;  and  their  value  was  exceedingly  enhanced 
by  the  external  kindly  behavior  and  well-adapted  smooth 
address  of  the  giver. 

The  nation  of  the  Chickasaws  was  ^ettled  near  the  sources 
of  the  Tombigbee,  a  few  miles  eastward  of  the  head  waters 


92  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

of  theTallahache.  They  numbered  about  four  hundred  and 
fifty  warriors,  and  were  ever  inimical  to  the  French  and 
friendly  to  the  English  colonists.  It  was  by  their  efforts  that 
the  neighboring  tribe  of  the  Natchez  was  stirred  up  to  at- 
tack the  French  settlements,  in  17*9.  The  French  had,  un- 
advisedly, imposed  a  species  of  tax  upon  the  Natchez,  de- 
manding a  dressed  buck- skin  from  each  man  of  the  tribe, 
without  rendering  any  return.  The  Chickasaws  were  not 
slow  to  foment  a  disturbance  upon  intelligence  of  this  pro- 
ceeding, and  sent  messengers,  with  presents  of  pipes  and  to- 
bacco, to  counsel  an  attack  upon  the  exercisers  of  such  tyran- 
ny. Nothing  so  strongly  excites  an  Indian's  indignation  as 
any  attempt  at  taxation,  and  the  Natchez  were  easily  per- 
suaded that  the  French  had  resolved  to  crush  and  enslave 
them.  It  took  about  a  year  to  ripen  the  plot,  as  the  Indians 
are  slow  in  their  councils  on  things  of  great  importance, 
though  equally  close  and  intent. 

In  November,  1729,  the  Indians  fell  upon  the  French  set- 
tlement. The  commandant  had  received  some  intimation 
of  the  intended  attack  from  a  woman  of  the  tribe,  but  did 
not  place  sufficient  dependence  upon  it  to  take  any  efficient 
steps  for  the  protection  of  his  charge.  The  whole  colony 
was  massacred:  men,  women  and  children,  to  the  number  of 
over  seven  hundred  perished  by  the  weapons  of  the  savages. 
The  triumph  of  the  Natchez  was,  however,  but  of  short  dura- 
tion. The  French  came  upon  them  the  following  summer 
viith  a  large  army,  consisting  of  two  thousand  of  their  own 
soldiers  and  a  great  array  of  Choctaw  allies.  The  Natchez 
were  posted  ut  a  strong  fort  near  a  lake  communicating  with 
the  r.ayou  D'Argent,  and  received  the  assailants  with  great 
resolution  and  courage.  They  made  a  vigorous  sally,  as  the 
e;-emy  approached,  but  were  driven  within  their  defences, 
and  bombarded  with  three  mortars,  which  forced  them  to  fly. 
The  Choctaws  took  many  prisoners,  some  of  whom  were  tor- 
tured to  death,  and  the  rest  shipped  to  the  West  Indies  as 
slaves. 

The  remnant  of  the  Natchez  fled  for  safety  to  the  Chicka- 
saws. This  brought  about  a  war  between  the  French  and 
the  last  mentioned  tribe,  in  which,the  Indians  had  decidedly 
the  advantage.  In  one  engagement,  in  which  the  French 
and  their  Indian  allies  Tiad  surrounded  the  Ghickasaw  settle- 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  93 

ments  in  the  night,  with  the  exception  of  one,  \vhi«h  stood  at 
some  distance  from  the  rest,  the  besio:  ers  beset  every  house, 
and  killed  all  who  came  out:  tut  at  the  dawn  of  day,  when 
they  were  capering  and  using  those  flourishes  that  are  pe- 
culiar to  that  volatile  nation,  the  other  town  drew  round 
tkem,  stark  naked,  and  painted  all  over  red  and  black ;  thus 
t'ey  attacked  them,  killed  numbers  on  the  spot,  released 
their  brethern,  who  joined  them  like  enraged  lions.  The  In- 
dians belonging  to  the  .French  party  tied,  but  the  white* 
were  all  killed  except  two,  an  officer,  and  a  negro,  who  faith- 
fully held  his  horse  till  he  mounted,  and  then  ran  along  sidn 
of  him.  A  couple  of  swift  runners  overtook  them,  and  tui  I 
them  to  live  and  go  home,  and  inform  their  people,  that  us 
the  Chickasaw  hogs  had  now  plenty  of  ugly  French  care,  s  es 
to  feed  on  till  next  year,  they  hoped  then  to  have  an 
visit  from  them  and.  their  red  friends ;  and  that,  as  m< 
gers,  they  wished  them  safe  home. 

On  another  occasion  the  French  approached  the  Chickasaw 

stockade,  s  rangley  disguised,  and  protected  from  the   balls 

ot  the  enemy  by  paddings  of  wool.     The  Indians  were  aston- 

;it  their  invulnerability,  and  were  about  to  desist  fro. a 

-  resistance,  and  resort  to  the  skill  of  their  o\\n  necro 

era  to  oppose  what  they  thought  must  be  wizzards,   or 

old  Frenchmen  carrying  the  ark  of    war  against  them.    As 

the  enemy  approached,  and  began  to  throw  baud-grenades 

into    the    fort,    they  were  quickly  undeceived,  and  set  in 

t   about    the    work    of     defence.     They    pulle-I    the 

malc'res  out  of  the  gre  ,ades,  or  thre  A-  them  back  among  the 

i-'ioix  li ;  and,  sallying  forth,  directed  an  effective  fire  at  the 

legs  of  the  enemy,  who  were  speedily  driven  off. 


94  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

CHEROKEE     WAR— INTRIGUES     OF     REV.      THOMAS     BOBOMWORTH — 
MURDER  OJ1  INDIAN   HOSTAGES. 

WHEN  James  Edward  Oglethorpe  commenced  the  settle- 
ment of  Georgia  with  his  little  colony  of  a  114  souls,  in  1733, 
the  Creek  Indians  laid  claim  to  the  territory  southwest  of  the 
Savannah  river.  He  secured  the  services  of  a  half-breed 
woman,  named  Mary  Musgrove,  who  could  speak  English, 
to  bring  about  a  conference  with  the  chiefs  of  the  tribe  at 
Savannah,  the  seat  of  the  new  settlement. 

Mary  had  formerly  married  a  white  trader  from  Carolina. 
Beside  her  usefulness  as  an  interpreter,  she  had  such  influ- 
ence over  her  tribe,  that  Oglethorpe  thought  it  worth  his 
while  to  purchase  her  services  at  the  rate  of  one  hundred 
pounds  a  year.  She  became  afterward,  a  source  of  annoy- 
ance to  the  English. 

Fifty  chiefs  of  the  Creek  nation  were  assembled  at  the 
place  of  conference,  and  Tomochichi,  the  most  noted  among 
those  then  known  to  the  settlers,  made  an  amicable  speech, 
proffering  at  the  same  time  a  present  of  a  buffalo-skin, 
adorned  with  eagles'  feathers.  A  treaty  was  concluded,  sub- 
jecttothe  ratification  of  the  English  "crown,  by  virtue  of 
which  the  Indians  were  to  consider  themselves  the  subjects 
of  the  king,  and  to  live  in  peace  and  friendship  with  his  white 
colonists.  The  lands  lying  between  the  Savannah  and  Alt»- 
maha,  were  made  over  to  the  English,  with  all  the  islands  on 
that  coast,  except  fet.  Catharine's  and  two  others,  which  were 
reserved  for  the  Indians  as  bathing  and  fishing  stations. 

In  April,  1734,  Oglethorpe  took  Tomochichi,  his  queen,  and 
several  other  Indians  with  him  to  England.  They  were  pre- 
sented to  the  king,  and  every  pains  was  taken  to  produce  a 
strong  impression  upon  their  minds  of  the  English  power 
and  magnificence.  All  the  Indians  with  whom  the  first  gov- 
ernor of  Georgia  held  intercourse  seem  to  have  formed  a 
great  attachment  for  him,  stylirg  him  their  "  beloved  man." 
If  others  in  authority  among  the  English  colonies  had  pur- 
sued as  honest  a  course  toward  the  natives,  much  bloodsked 
would  doubtless  have  been  averted. 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  95 

When  difficulties  arose  in  1738,  connected  with  the  con- 
flicting- claims  of  England  and  Spain  to  jurisdiction  over  the 
new  country,  Spanish  agents  were  dispatched  to  win  over  the 
Creeks.  They  decoyed  a,  body  of  them  to  Augustine,  by  pre- 
tenses that  Ogletnorpe  was  there,  and  that  he  was  desirous 
of  seeing  them.  On  their  arrival,  the  Indians  were  told  that 
the  English  governor  was  sick  on  board  one  of  the  ships ;  but 
they  had  began  to  stiepeet  deception,  and,  refusing  td^o  out 
to  the  vessel,  left  the  town  in  great  disgust.  Their  suspic- 
ions were  confirmed  when  they  reached  home,  and  the 
transaction  only  strengthened  their  dislike  to  the  Spaniards. 
In  the  following  year,  Tomoohichi  died,  being  nearly  ninety- 
seyen  years  of  age. 

The  year  1749  was  memorable  for  a  most  audacious  at- 
tempt on  the  part  of  one  Thomas  Bosomworth  to  aggrandize 
kimaelf  by  attaining  a  supremacy  over  the  Creeks.  He  had 
been  formerly  a  chaplain  in  Oglethorpe's  regiment,  and  had 
marriedMary  Musgrove,  his  half-breed  interpreter.  In  De- 
cemberw1747,  this  man  fell  in  with  a  company  of  chiefs,  be- 
longing to  the  nation,  then  on  a  visit  to  iFrederica ;  and  per- 
suaded them  to  sign  certain  articles,  acknowledging  one  of 
Lheir  number,  named  MaJatche  Opiya  Meoo,  as  rightful  king 
over  the  whole  Creek  nation.  Eosomworth  then  procured 
from  Malatche  a  conveyance,  for  certain  considerations— 
among  other  things,  a  large  quantity  of  ammunition  and 
clothing,— of  the  islands  formerly  reserved  by  the  Indians,  to 
himself  and  his  wife  Mary,  their  heirs  and  assigns.  This 
deed  was  regularly  witnessed,  and  recorded  in  due  form. 
Bosomworth  made  some  efforts  to  improve  these  islands, 
but,  his  ambition  becoming  aroused  by  success"  in  his  first 
intrigue,  1  e  entered  upon  one  nmch  more  extensive.  By  his 
persuasions,  his  wife  now  made  the  extraordinary  claim  that 
she  was  Malatche's  elder  sister,  and  entitled  to  regal  author- 
ity over  the  whole  Creek  territory. 

A  great  meeting  of  the  tribe  was  procured,  and,  whatever 
of  truth  Mary's  claims  might  be  founded  upon,  she  suc- 
ceeded in  persuading  large  numbers  of  the  Creeks  to  ac- 
knowledge her  as  an  independent  queen.  Accompanied  by 
a  strong  force  of  her  adherents,  she  proceeded  to  Savannah, 
sending  emi&sarios  before  her  to  demand  a  surrender  of  all 
lands  south  of  the  Savannah  river,  and  to  make  known  her 


9G  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

intention  of  enforcing  her  claim  by  the  entire  destrr.c 
the  colony,  should  her  demands  be  resisted. 

The  militia  were  called  out  by  the  president  an-- 
and  the  Indians  v^ere  kept  quiet,  by  a  display  of  - 
and  firmness,  that  matters  might  be  fully  discussed  by  their 
leaders  and  the  colonial  authorities.     Bosomworth.  in  his 
canoi^al  robes,  with  his  qusen  by  his  side,  followed  by  tho 
kings  and  chiefs,  according  to  rank,  marched  into  the  town 
on  the  20th  of  July,  making  a  most  formidable  appearance. 

Lengthy  discussions  ensued  between  Bosornworth  and 
Mary  on  the  one  hand,  and  the  president  and  council  on  the 
other.  The  savages  leaned  alternately  to  either  opinion,  ac- 
cording as  they  were  harangued  by  their  new  leaders,  or  lis- 
tened to  the  explanations  of  the  other  party.  They  were  told 
that  Mary's  claims  to  royal  descent  were  entirely  false ;  that 
she  was  the  daughter  of  a  white  man  by  a  squaw  of  no  note, 
and  that  the  mad  ambition  of  her  reprobate  husband  had  led 
to  the  whole  movement.  They  expressed  themselves  con- 
vinced, but  no  sooner  had  Mary  obtained  another  opportu- 
nity to  communicate  with  them  than  she  succeeded  in  inflam- 
ing their  minds.  It  was  found  necessary  to  confine  her  and 
her  husband  before  the  savages  could  be  quietly  dispersed. 
Before  this  was  accomplished,  the  town  was  in  imminent 
danger,  as  the  Indians  vastly  outnumbered  the  whites  ;  and 
a  very  slight  matter  might  have  so  roused  their  fury  that  the 
whole  colony  would  have  been  annihilated.  Bosomworth 
and  his  wife  obtained  a  decision  in  their  favor,  in  1759,  by 
virtue  of  which  they  took  possession  of  St.  Catherine's  island, 
and  resided  upon  it  the  remainder  of  their  lives. 

The  breaking  out  of  the  Cherokee  war,  in  the  winter  of 
1750,  was  an  (-vent  of  special  interest.  Upon  the  evacuation 
of  Fort  Duquesne,  numbers  of  Indian  warriors,  whose  serv- 
ices were  no  longer  required,  set  out  upon  their  return  home. 
Having  been  ill-supplied  with  provisions,  and  having  lost 
their  horses,  some  of  them  caught  such  animals  as  they 
found  loose  in  the  woods.  In  revenge  for  this  theft,  the 
German  settlers  of  Yirginia  fell  upon  them,  and  murdered 
and  scalped  a  considerable  number.  They  even  imitated,  in 
several  instances,  the  horrible  cruelties  of  the  savages  in  the 
manner  of  butchery.  The  Cherokees  did  not,  for  a  long  time, 
attempt  any  retaliation  for  this  act,  but  made  peaceable  ap- 


INDIAN    MASSACRES.  97 

plications  to  the  authorities  of  Virginia  and  the  Carolinas ; 
but  all  was  in  vnia,  and  fresh  insults  and  injuries,  received 
from  certain  officers  at  Port  St.  George,  finally  excited  the 

••R  to  fury. 

The  Preach,  and,  at  their  instance,  the  Muscogees,  were 
not  slow  in  availing  themselves  of  the  above  circumstances 
to  stir  up  a  war  against  the  English.  The  Cherokees  deter- 
mined upon  direct  retaliation  for  the  massacres  by  the  Ger- 
mans. A  party,  bound  on  this  errand,  first  killed  two  sol- 
diers near  Port  Loudon,on  the  south  bank  of  Tennessee  river, 
and  afterward  spread  themselves  among  the  western  settle- 
ments of  North  Carolina,  killing  such  of  the  whites  as  fell  in 
their  pow  er. 

William  H.  Lyttleton,  governor  of  South  Carolina,  then  set 
himself  strenuously  both  to  prepare  for  the  defense  of  the 
colonies,  and  to  bring  about  an  adjustment  of  difficulties.  At 
Port  St.  George,  on  the  Savannah,  he  held  a  conference  with 
six  Cherokee  chiefs,on  the  26th  of  December,  1759,  and  formed 
a  treaty  of  peace,  secured  by  the  delivery  of  thirty-two  I  n- 
dian  hostages.  These  were  placed  in  close  confinement  in  a 
small  and  miserable  hut,  and  the  governor  returned  to 
Charleston.  According  to  the  usual  course  of  events,  the 
Cherokees  denied  the  authority  of  the  chiefs  who  had  con- 
cluded the  above  treaty,  and  hostilities  broke  out  afresh. 
Captain  Coytinore,  commandant  at  Fort  George,  was  an  ob- 
ject of  the  bitterest  hatred  on  the  part  of  the  Indians,  and  a 
large  party  of  them,  besieged  the  fort  in  February,  17GO. 
The  place  was  too  strong  to  fre  taken  by  assault,  but  the  In- 
dian chief  managed  to  entice  Coy tm ore  out  of  the  defenses 
into  an  ambush,  where  he  was  shot  dead,  and  lieutenants 
Bell  and  Poster,  who  accompanied  him,  were  wounded.  The 
hostages  who  v.  ere  confined  within  the  works,  shouted  to  en- 
courage their  friends  without,  and  when  an,  attempt  was 
made  to  put  them  in  irons,  resisted  manfully,  stabbing  one 
soldier,  and  wounding  two  others.  Upon,  this,  a  hole  was 
cut  in  the  roof  over  their  heads,  and  the  cowardly  garrison 
butchered  them  by  shooting  do  A  n  from  above. 

Colonel  Montgomery  reached  Carolina  in  April,  1760,  and 
hastened,  in  command  of  regulars  and  provincials,  to  make 
an  effective  inroad  upon  the  Indians.  His  progress  through 
the  lower  Cherokee  country  was  marked  by  the  destruction 


98  INDIAN   MASSACRES. 

of  Indian  towns.  Estatoe,  containing  two  hundred  houses, 
With  great  quantities  of  provisions,  was  entirely  destroyed ; 
but  the  inhabitants  were  saved  by  a  timely  flight.  Every 
other  settlement  east  of  the  Blue  Kidge  afterward  shared 
the  same  fate. 

The  army  made  some  stay  at  Fort  Prince  George,  and  use- 
less endeavors  were  put  forth  to  bring  about  a  pacification  with 
the  upper  portion  of  the  Cherokees.  In  June  the  troops  were 
again  on  their  advance  into  the  wilderness  of  the  interior. 
Near  Etchoe,  the  native  warriors  prepared  a  most  skillful 
ambuscade  to  check  the  advancing  forces.  It  was  in  a  deep 
valley,  through  which  ran  a  muddy  stream,  with  steep  banks; 
on  either  side  of  which  the  way  was  completely  choked  with 
brushwood.  Some  hard  fighting  took  place  at  this  spot,  in 
which  twenty  of  the  whites  were  killed  and  seventy-six 
wounded.  The  loss  on  the  side  of  the  Indians  was  much  less, 
and,  although  driven  from  the  spot  where  the  first  stand  was 
made,  they  intrenched  themselves  a  little  farther  on.  Under 
these  circumstances,  Montgomery  determined  to  secure  the 
safety  of  his  troops,  and  to  provide  for  the  requisite  attention 
to  his  wounded  men,  by  a  retreat.  He  soon  after  sailed  for 
New  York,  leaving  four  companies  of  regulars,  under  Major 
Hamilton,  for  the  protection  of  the  frontier. 

The  garrison  at  Fort  Loudon  was  now  in  peril.  The  pro- 
visions of  the  place  were  nearly  exhausted,  and  Chief  Occono- 
stota  was  laying  close  siege  to  it  with  his  fierce  and  enraged 
warriors.  After  suffering  great  extremes  of  privation,  the 
two  hundred  men  at  this  place  were  obliged  to  capitulate,  and 
trust  to  the  honor  of  their  savage  enemy.  Captain  Steuart, 
an  officer  greatly  in  favor  with  all  the  friendly  Indians,  ar- 
ranged the  terms  upon  which  the  fort  should  be  evacuated. 
The  troops  were  to  be  allowed  a  free  and  unmolested  passage 
to  Virginia,  or  Fort  Prince  George,  and  a  detachment  of  In- 
dians was  to  accompany  them  for  the  purpose  of  supplying 
provisions  by  hunting. 

The  garrison  inarched  out  on  the  7th  of  August,  1760.  Oc- 
conostota  himself,  with  a  number  of  other  natives,  kept  com- 
pany with  the  whites,  during  the  first  day's  march  of  fifteen 
miles ;  but  these  all  disappeared  when  they  reached  Taliquo. 
On  the  next  morning,  just  before  day,  (the  time  generally  se- 
lected by  Indians  for  a  surprise,  as  men  sleep  more  soundly 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  99 

than  than  at  any  other  hour,)  a  large  body  of  armed  savages, 
in  war-paint,  were  seen  by  a  sentinel,  creeping  through  the 
bushes,  and  gathering  about  the  camp.  Hardl>  was  the 
alarm  given  when  the  attack  was  made :  twenty-six  of  the- 
half-starved  soldiers  were  killed  outright,  and  the  rest  were 
pinioned  and  inarched  back  to  the  fort. 

Captain  Steuart  was  among  the  prisoners,  but  his  evil  for- 
tune was  alleviated  by  the  staunch  friendship  of  the  benevo- 
lent Atakullakulla.  This  chief,  as  soon  as  he  heard  of  Steu- 
art's  situation,  hastened  to  Fort  London,  and  purchased  him 
of  the  Indian  who  took  him,  giving  him  his  rifle,  clothes,  and 
all  that  he  could  command  by  way  of  ransom  :  he  then  took 
possession  of  Captain  Demere's  house,  where  he  kept  his 
prisoner  as  one  of  his  family,  and  humanely  shared  with  him 
the  little  provisions  his  table  afforded,  until  an  opportunity 
should  offer  of  rescuing  him. 

A  quantity  of  ammunition  was  discovered  by  the  Indians, 
buried  in  the  fort,  and  Occonostota  determined  to  proceed  at 
once  to  lay  siege  to  Fort  Prince  George.  Captain  Steuart 
was  informed  that  the  assistance  of  himself  and  his  men 
would  be  required  in  the  management  of  the  great  guns,  and 
that,  furthermore,  if  the  garrison  should  refuse  to  capitulate, 
all  the  prisoners  now  in  the  hands  of  the  Indians  should,  one 
by  one,  be  burned  in  sight  of  the  fort.  Perceiving  the  diffi- 
culty of  his  situation,  the  captain  begged  his. kind  old  pro- 
prietor to  assist  him  in  effecting  an  escape,  and  Attakulla- 
kulla  readily  lent  his  aid.  Upon  pretence  of  t.iking  his  pris- 
oner out  for  a  hunt,  he  left  Foi  t  London,  with  his  wife  and 
brother,  and  two  English  soldiers,  and  took  a  direct  course 
for  the  Virginia  frontier.  After  a  most  toilsome  and  danger- 
ous inarch,  they  fell  in  with  a  party  of  three  hundred  men, 
sent  out  for  the  relief  of  such  of  the  garrison  at  Fort  Loudon 
as  might  have  effected  their  escape.  Being  now  in  safety. 
Captain  Steuart  dismissed  his  Indian  friends  with  handsome 
rewards,  to  return  and  attend  to  the  welfare  of  his  former  fel- 
low-prisoners. Such  of  them  as  had  survived  \vere  afterward 
ransomed  and  delivered  up  at  Fort  Prince  George. 

In  the  following  spring,  Colonel  James  Grant,  who  had 
succeeded  to  the  command  of  the  Highlanders  employed  in 
British  service  in  America,  commenced  active  operations 
against  the  belligerent  nation.  What  with  the  aid  of  the 


100  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

provincials  and  friendly  Indians,  ho  was  at  the  head  of  about 
twenty-six  hundred  men.  The  army  reached  Fort  Princt 
George  on  the  2  th  of  May,  1761,  and  Miere  'Id  Attakullakulla 
.made  his  appearance,  deprecating  the  proposed  vengeance 
of  the  whites  upon  his  people.  He  was  told  that  the  English 
stiJl  felt  the  strongest  regard  for  him  individually,  but  that 
the  ill-will  and  misconduct  of  the  majority  of  the  nation  were 
too  palpable  and  gross  to  be  suffered  to  go  longer  unpun- 
ished. Colonel  Grant  marched  from  the  fort  in  the  month  of 
June,  and  advanced  nearly  to  the  spot  where  Montgomery's 
progress  had  been  arrested,  before  coming  to  an  engage- 
ment. Here  the  C  herokees,  on  the  10th,  made  a  desperate 
but  unavailing  stand;  they  were  routed  and  dispersed,  leav- 
ing their  towns  and  villages  of  the  interior  to  be  destroyed 
by  the  invaders,  rtchoe  was  burned,  and  other  towns,  four- 
teen in  number,  shared  the  same  fate :  the  corn,  cattle,  and 
other  stores  of  the  enemy,  were  likewise  destroyed,  and  those 
miserable  savages,  with  their  families,  were  driven  to  seek 
shelter  and  subsistence  among  the  barren  mountains. 

Upon  the  return  of  the  army  to  Fort  Prince  George,  after 
this  campaign,  Attakullakulla  again  visited  the  camp,  bring- 
ing with  him  a  number  of  other  Cherokee  chiefs.  Broken 
down  by  their  disastrous  losses,  and  disgusted  with  the  de- 
ceitful promises  of  the  French,  they  gladly  acceded  to  such 
terms  as  Colonel  Grant  thought  fit  to  impose,  and  a  treaty 
of  peace  was  formally  concluded. 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  101 


OHAPTEEXV. 

WAR    OF     1813-14— GENERAL     JACKSON    DEFEATS    THE     INDIANS  AT 
HORSE-SHOE  BEND — END  OF  THE  CONFLICT. 

AFTER  the  termination  of  the  revolutionary  war,  and  the 
establishment  of  the  independence  of  the  United  States,  the 
intrigues  of  foreign  opposing  parties  no  longer  operated  to 
foment  disturbance,  or  to  tempt  the  unfortunate  savages  to 
engage  in  quarrels  where  they  had  nothing  to  gain,  and 
which  ever  resulted  in  their  final  discomfiture.  By  a  steady 
increase  of  numbers,  and  the  adventurous  spirit  of  pioneers, 
the  white  settlers  every  where  made  advances  upon  Indian 
territory.  Sometimes  large  acquisitions  would  be  made  by 
a  government  purchase ;  but,  to  no  small  extent,  the  opinion 
that  the  occupation  of  a  few  roving  savages  could  give  no 
natural  title  to  lands,  as  opposed  to  the  claims  of  those  who 
had  reclaimed,inclosed,and  improved  the  wilderness,satisfied 
the  consciences  of  the  encroachers.  The  argument  in  favor 
of  this  conclusion  is  by  no  means  without  force ;  but  who 
can  take  upon  himself  to  draw  the  line  of  demarkation  which 
shall  decide,  upon  any  principle  of  universal  application, 
the  bounds  of  so  artificial  o  right  as  the  ownership  of  land  ? 

At  the  time  of  the  declaration  of  war  with  England,  (June 
18th,  1812,)  the  whole  western  border  of  the  United  States 
was  in  a  position  of  the  greatest  danger  and  insecurity. 
Many  minor  forays  took  place,  but  the  destruction  of  Fort 
Mimms  in  Mississippi,  in  1813,  and  subsequent  battles  of 
that  year  were  the  most  important  in  the  early  part  of  the 
century.  A  party  of  about  1,000  warriors,  led  by  Chief  Weath- 
erford,  fell  upon  this  fort  August  30.  The  post  was  garri- 
soned by  one  hundred  and  sixty  efficient  soldiers ;  the  rest  of 
its  occupants,  to  the  number  of  ono  hundred  and  fifteen, 
consisted  of  old  men,  women  and  children.  The  forces  were 
under  the  command  of  Major  Beasly.  No  regular  prepara- 
tions had  been  made  for  the  reception  of  so  powerful  an 
enemy,  and  although  the  soldiers  did  their  duty  manfully, 
they  were  overpowered,  and  all  slain  except  seventeen. 
The  women  and  children  having  ensconced  themselves  in 
several  block  houses,  met  with  a  more  terrible  fate.  The 


102  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

savages  set  fire  to  the  buildings,  and  consumed  them,  to- 
gether with  their  inmates. 

The  sefctlers  inhabiting  exposed  districts  were  now  obliged 
to  fly  for  safety  to  places  of  protection,  and  the  hostile 
hordes  of  Indians  were  collecting  their  warriors,  for  further 
inroads  upon  the  frontier.  To  resist  them,  a  large  force  was 
called  into  requisition  in  Tennessee,  and  the  command  be- 
stowed upon  General  A u drew  Jackson,  who  determined  to 
take  the  field  in  person,  and  pushed  on  the  necessary  prep- 
arations with  all  that  zeal  and  energy  which  marked  his 
character  through  life. 

While  encamped  at  Ten  Islands  the  general  ascertained 
tne  rendezvous  of  the  enemy  to  be  about  13  miles  below. 
Colonel  Coffee,  with  nine  hundred  men,  was  promptly  or- 
dered to  engage  them.  He  approached  the  Indian  camp, 
and  so  disposed  his  forces  as  to  partially  surround  it,  while 
several  companies,  were  marched  in  to  beat  up  the  enemies' 
quarters.  The  savages  fought  boldly  and  desperately,  but 
were  overpowered  and  driven  into  their  buildings,  where  one 
hundred  and  eighty-six  of  their  number  perished,  lighting 
hand  to  hand.  Eighty-four  women  and  children  were'taken 
prisoners,  and  a  number  were  killed.  This  battle  was  fought 
on  the  3rd  of  November, 

A  species  of  fortification  was  now  prepared  at  the  islands, 
and  named  Fort  Strother.  On  the  7th  of  the  month,  infor- 
mation was  received  that  the  enemy  was  collecting  in  force 
to  attack  Taltadega, — a  post  about  thirty  miles  below,  occu- 
pied by  friendly  Indians,— and  General  Jackson,  with  nearly 
his  whole  army,  consisting  of  twelve  hundred  infantry  and 
eight  hundred  mounted  men,  hastened  to  its  relief.  It  was 
about  midnight  when  the  march  commenced,  and  on  the 
evening  of  the  ensuing  day,  a  spot  only  six  miles  from  Tal- 
ladega was  reached.  By  four  o'clock,  on  the  following  morn- 
ing, the  troops  were  again  in  motion ;  and,  acting  upon  in- 
telligence obtained  by  reconnoitering  during  the  night,  Gen- 
eral Jackson  was  enabled  so  to  dispose  his  troops  as  partial- 
ly to  surround  the  camp  before  the  action  commenced.  The 
Indians  displayed  both  courage  and  firmness,  and  by  the 
impetuosity  of  their  attack,  broke  through  the  line  of  the 
advancing  forces  and  made  their  escape  to  the  mountains, 
three  miles  distant.  The  force  of  the  enemy  was  one  thou- 


Kircbenuit          lOJi 
i 

Warraeensitt 

Bomaseen 

Wadacanaquin 


Iteansis 

Jackoid 

Joseph 

Sauguaaram 

Arexus 

Francois  Xavier 

Megaminiba 

INDIAN   SIGNATURES. 


104  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

sand  and  eighty,  of  whom  two  hundred  and  ninety-nine  were 
left  dead  on  the  ground;  and  it  is  believe  1  that  many  \vere 
killed  in  the  flight,  who  were  not  found"  when  the  estimate 
was  made.  Their  loss,  on  this  occasion,  was  not  less  than 
six  hundred:  that  of  the  Americans  was  fifteen  killed  and 
eighty  wounded,  several  of  whom  afterward  died. 

After  the  battle  at  Talladegn,  the  Hallibee  Indians,  who 
were  largely  concerned  in  that  transaction,  sued  for  peace. 
They  were  told  by  the  American  general  that  this  should  be 
accorded,  upon  condition  of  the  restoration  of  plundered 
property,  and  the  delivering  up  of  those  who  had  taken  part 
in  the  massacre  at  Fort  Mimms.  Unfortunately,  while  these 
negotiations  were  pending,  General  White,  acting  under 
orders  independent  of  General  Jackson,  attacked  the  towns 
of  these  Indians,  destroyed  many  of  their  warriors,  and  car- 
ried off  several  hundred  captives.  Supposing  that  this  was 
by  Jackson's  orders,  they  expected  no  further  favor,  and 
fought  thereafter  with  the  desperation  of  men  to  whom  no 
quarter  was  to  be  given. 

The  result  of  this  Indian  campaign  was  the  entire  reduc- 
tion of  the  hostile  nations.  In  various  battles  they  were  de- 
feated and  destioyed.  The  most  noted  of  these  were  at  Au- 
tossee,  where  some  two  hundred  were  massacred,  on  the  29th 
of  November,  and  that  of  the  great  bend  in  the  Tallapoosie,, 
»known  as  Horse  Shoe  Bend.  At  this  latter  point,  the  In- 
dians fortified  themselves  for  a  last  and  desperate  stand. 

They  were  supposed  to  be  about  one  thousand  in  number, 
and  had  been,  for  some  time,  strengthening  their  position 
by  every  means  within  their  reach.  This  was  in  March,  1814. 
On  the  27th,  General  Jackson,  with  a  force  of  whites  and 
friendly  Indians,  three  times  the  number  of  the  enemy, 
commenced  operations  against  the  fort.  General  Coffee, 
with  most  of  the  cavalry  and  Indian  allies,  was  directed  to 
surround  the  bend,  in  order  to  cut  off  all  retreat  across  the 
river.  The  place  was  then  carried  by  storm,  under  a  heavy 
fire  from  within.  More  than  half  the  Indians  were  killed  at 
the  fort,  and  an  unknown  number  perished  in  their  endeav- 
rrs  to  escape  by  crossing  the  river,  beset  as  it  was  by  the  as- 
sailants. Not  more  than  twenty  ever  reached  a  place  of 
safety.  At  a  time  when  it  was  evident  that  the  fortune  of 
the  day  was  decided,  General  Jackson  sent  a  messenger, 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  105 

with  a  flag  of  truce,  to  invite  a  surrender,  but,  from  igno- 
rance or  desperation,  the  savages  fired  upon  the  bearer  of 
the  flag.  After  this,  no  mercy  was  shown  :  until  night  put 
an  end  to  the  work  of  destruction,  they  were  shot  or  cut  down 
wherever  they  could  be  found,  and  even .  on  the  following 
morning  a  considerable  number  were  ferreted  out  from  the 
"caves  and  reeds,"  where  they  had  sought  concealment, 
and  were  remorselessly  put  to  death.  Several  hundred 
women  and  children  were  made  captive-.  The  loss  of  the 
attacking  army,  in  this  battle,  was  fifty-five  killed,  and  one 
hundred  and  forty-six  wounded. 

In  April,  General  Jackson,  having  effected  a  junction  with 
the  troops  from  Georgia,  under  Colonel  Milton,  received  a 
deputation  from  the  principal  hostile  tribes,  expressing  a 
wish  fcr  peace.  The  general  demanded,  as  one  condition 
upon  which  he  would  treat,  and  as  a  test  of  the  sincerity  of 
the  proposal,  that  the  great  but  notorious  Weatherford 
should  be  delivered  up  for  punishment.  This  chief,  hearing 
of  the  requisition,  and  hopeless  of  further  success  in  resist- 
ance, came  voluntarily  to  the  American  camp,  and  present- 
ing himself  before  tin  commander,  with  characteristic  dig- 
nity and  composure,  requested  peace  for  his  people,  and  an- 
nounced his  own  submission  to  his  fate,  whatever  it  mi^ht 
be. 

This  was  the  last  important  incident  of  the  campaign.  The 
Indians  submitted  to  the  dictation  of  the  whites,  and  retired 
to  the  districts  assigned  them,  eastward  of  the  Coosa. 


106  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

THE  MINNESOTA,  FETTERMAN,  PIEGAN,  CUSTEE  AND  TJTE  MASSACRES. 
GENS.  SHEKIDAN,  CUSTEB  AND  MILES  AMONG  THE  INDIANS. 

IN  July,  1862,  while  the  War  of  the  Rebellion  was  being 
carried  on,  Sioux  and  other  Indians  belonging  to  the  Upper 
Agency  in  Minnesota  came  down  to  the  Government  build- 
ings by  the  Yellow  Medicine  river  and  encamped  there  in 
order  to  secure  then  annuities,  as  they  were  suffering  from 
hunger.  On  Aug. 4th  they  broke  into  the  Government  store- 
house, in  presence  of  soldiers,  and  took  out  provisions. 
Four  Indians  shortly  after  this  went  to  the  houses  of  Robin- 
son Jones  and  Howard  Baker  and  shot  those  gentlemen, 
their  wives,  Miss  Ciara  Wilson  and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Webster 
A  general  uprising  of  the  Indians  took  place  after  this  taste 
of  blood,  and  the  inhabitants  of  the  place  were  entirely  help- 
less, as  many  men  had  gone  to  enlist  for  the  Southern  war. 
James  Lynde,  a  clerk  in  a  store,  was  shot  and  instantly 
killed,  as  were  two  other  persoas  in  the  store.  As  the  In- 
dians entered  another  store  a  clerk  rushed  through  their 
midst  and  succeeded  in  getting  200  yards  away,  when  he  re 
ceived  two  shots.  He  was  stripped  and  had  logs  piled  upon 
him  to  prevent  his  escape.  Wheii  all  were  butchered  at  the 
agency  the  savages  scattered  over  the  country. 

At  the  river  the  heroic  ferryman  continued  to  carrry  over 
all  who  came,  and  was  killed  just  as  he  had  taken  the  last 
man  across.  He  was  disemboweled  and  his  hands,  feet  and 
head  cutoff  and  thrust  into  the  cavity. 

The  atrocities  committed  in  this  massacre  almost  surpass 
belief.  Seven  hundred  people  perished  under  the  most 
heartrending  cruelty.  Neither  age  nor  sex  was  regarded. 
Their  great  ambition  seemed  to  be  to  outvie  each  other  in 
new  forms  of  torture,  iiirls  of  a  tender  age  were  violated 
by  ruffians  until  death  from  exhaustion  ended  their  suffer- 
ings. A  father  returned  home  to  find  his  entire  family 
killed,  except  a  little  boy,  who  was  left  for  dead. 

The  Indians,  about  400  in  number,  attacked  N©w  Ulm. 
The  inhabitants  were  mostly  German.  They  huddled  to- 
gether in  the  centre  of  the  town  and  made  a  barricade  of 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  107 

barrels,  etc.  The  Indians  were  repelled,  but  ten 
whites  were  killed  and  fifty  wounded.  Four  reds  went  to  Mr. 
Anderson's  house  and  asked  for  milk ;  after  drinking  it  and 
returning  the  pan,  they  shot  him  dead  and  also  killed  his 
son  who  went  to  get  them  some  potatoes.  A  boy,  to  escape 
detection,  had  covered  himself  with  pulled  grass  by  the  road- 
side ;  but  he  was  discovered  and  had  his  head  cut  off. 

It  was  feared  the  Chippewas  and  Winnebagoes  might  join 
the  Sioux.  This  would  have  meant  annihilation  to  the  peo- 
ple of  Minnesota.  There  were  4,000  warriors  within  two 
days'  march  of  St.  Paul.  The  fact  that  tKere  were  several 
thousand  volunteers  in  the  state  e'llisted  to  fight  the  South- 
ern Confederates  probably  was  the  salvation  of  the  whites 
from  wholesale  butchery.  Gov.  Ramsey  requested  Ool.  Sib- 
ley  to  take  charge  of  these  troops  and  move  up  the  Minne- 
sota river.  They  came  across  a  white  woman  who  had  trav- 
eled 70  miles  without  tasting  food,  carrying  her  babe  on 
her  pack.  The  savages  had  shot  her  through  the  shoulder. 
The  same  bullet  cut  off  the  baby's  finger. 

A  company  of  150  men  under  Major  J.  E.  Brown  came 
near  being  cut  to  pieces  when  detailed  to  bury  the  dead. 
Twenty-three  men  were  killed  and  forty-five  wounded. 
Ninety  horses  were  killed.  The  soldiers  had  fallen  asleep 
after  a  hard  day's  work,  with  no  suspicion  of  danger. 
They  were  31  hours  fighting  without  food  or  water,  before 
help  arrived  from  the  main  body. 

On  the  day  after  the  battle,  Little  Crow  and  his  braves 
took  flight.  Col.  Sibley  took  possession  of  their  camp  of 
100  tepees, furnished  with  carpets  and  stolen  furniture.  Here 
he  found  250  captives.  It  was  thought  that  if  Col.  Sibley 
had  marched  immediately  to  the  camp  after  the  battle,  all 
the  prisoners  would  have  been  killed.  The  Indian  prisoners 
taken  in  these  combats  were  tried  by  a  military  commission 
of  five  officers  and  a  recorder,  and  on  Feb.  26th,  1863,  thirty- 
eight  of  them  were  hung,  by  order  of  the  president  of  the 

United  States. 

*  *  *  ***** 

In  1866,  the  Government  sent  an  invading  expedition  of 
whites  to  open  a  new  route  from  Fort  Laramie  to  Montana. 
Col.  H.  B.  Carrington  was  in  command  of  the  force  number- 
ing 220  men.  Fort  Laramie  was  reached  in  June.  There 


108  INDIAN   MASSACRES. 

was  a  current  of  opposition  noticeable  among  the  Indians  to 
the  entrance  of  the  whites  upon  their  territory. 

From  July  26th  to  Dec.  21st  the  hostiles  had  killed  91  en- 
listed men,  5  officers,  58  citizens,  and  wounded  20  citizens 
and  driven  away  700  head  of  stock.  On  Dec.  21st  the  wood 
train  was  attacked  about  two  miles  from  Fort  Phil  Kearney. 
Col.  Carrington  sent  Col.  Fetterman  with  50  infantry  and  26 
cavalry  men  to  defend  the  train,  with  orders  not  to  engage 
or  follow  the  Indians.  Orders,  for  some  reason  that  will 
never  be  known,  were  disregarded.  'Not  a  soldier  returned. 
While  the  firing  was  progressing  Cap t.  Ten  Eyck,  with  76 
men,  (all  there  were  i\  the  fort),  went  to  the  rescue.  They 
found  the  dead  naked  bodies  of  Col.  Fetterman,  Captain 
Brown  and  65  soldiers.  They  were  all  in  a  space  of  about  o5 
feet  in  diameter.  A  mile  further  on  the  bodies  of  Lieut.  Gru- 
mond,  three  citizens  and  four  or  five  soldiers  wore  found. 
Only  six  men  of  the  whole  command  lost  their  lives  by  balls, 
and  two  of  these,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Fetterman  and  Cap- 
tain Brown,  no  doubt  inflicted  this  death  upon  themselves  or 
each  other,  both  being  shot  through  the  left  temple, the  pow- 
der being  burnt  into  the  skin  and  flesh  about  the  wound. 
Both  officers  had  been  heard  to  assort  that  they  would  not  be 
taken  alive  by  Indians. 

The  United  States  Senate  committee,  appointed  to  investi- 
gate the  Fetterman  massacre,  reported  that  they  found  no 
living  officer  deserving  of  censure,  but  that  the  fault  was 
traced  to  the^Government  itself  i-»  not  sending  reinforcements 
of  men  and  ammunition  to  these  new  forts  in  Wyoming, 
where  all  was  Avar,  instead  of  permitting  them  to  remain  at 

such  places  as  Forb  Laramie,  where  all  was  peace. 

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  * 

In  1868, Gen.  Sheridan  made  a  winter  campaign  against  the 
Camanches  and  other  Indians  \vlio  did  most  of  their  lighting 
in  summer.  Through  lack  of  provender  many  ponies  die.  I  of 
starvation  in  winter.  The  expedition  started  from  Fort 
Dodge  November  12th.  The  7th  Ciiva.lry  consisted  of  800  <  r 
900  men.  "California  Joe"  and  a  few  half-civilized  Osage 
Indians  acted  as  scouts.  Gen.  Ouster  was  in  command. 
After  arriving  at  the  level  of  tho  valley  of  the  Washita,  white 
lodges  were  discovered  among  the  trees.  Soon  a  rifle  shot 
rang  out  on  the  other  side  of  the  vill-;^ 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  100 

the  other  detachments  had  arrived  at  their  post?,  according 
to  agreement,  A  grand  charge  was  made  upon  the  surprised 
warriors,  but  they  seized  their  weapons  and  fought  with  des- 
perate valor.  Some  of  the  savages  ran  in  the  direction  of 
Major  Elliot's  attacking  party  and  met  with  a  warm  reception. 
Many  cavalry  men  dismounted  and  fought  on  foot.  A 
squaw  wr.s  see  «  trying  to  escape  with  a  little  white  boy  cap- 
tive. Upon  finding  escape  impossible,  she  drew  a  knife 
from  her  blanket  and  killed  the  child,  and  was  immediately 
shot  by  a  soldier.  The  Indians  were  routed  and  all  of  the 
lodges  were  burned.  News  of  the  victory  was  sent  by  cou- 
rier to  Gen.  Sheridan,  and  in  due 
season  the  army  reached  Camp 
Supply.  Over  800  ponies  were 
captured  ii  this  light  and  all 
had  to  be  shot.  One  hundred 
Indians  were  killed  and  a  large 
number  of  prisoners  captured. 
Among  the  whites  kiKel  were 
]Uaior  Elliot,  Captnin  Ha; 
and  19  soldiers.  AYhou  the  com- 
mand got  back  to  headquarters, 
Gen.  Sheridan  was  so  well  pleased 
with  the  wortc  done  that  he  ho:;-  GEN.  SHERIDAN, 

ored  it  with  a  review.    The   General  continued  operations 
against  the  Indians  also  in  1300  and  1870.  ' 

Fabulous  stories  about  mineral  discoveries  in  "Montana  at- 
tracted a  great  number  of  whites  to  that  territory,  who 
wholly  disregarded  the  rights  of  Indians,  and  of  course  there 
were  conli:  •  latlons-of  all  kinds.  In  1869,  the  set- 

tiers  having  been  much  injured  by  the  murders  and  assaults 
of  a  small  band  of  Piega-i  Indians,  the  authorities  determined 

I <.'rable  discussion  and  con- 
sultation as  to  the  e  ;d  character  of  the  chastisement, 
General  Sheridan  sent  word  to  Colonel  Baker,  who  was  then 
moving  against  them,  t  >  "strike  them  hard." 

On  the  morning  of  the  23rd  of  January,  1870,  Colonel  Bak- 
er came  upon  a  vil;  on  the  Marais  riv- 
er, who  had  not  be  in  the  atrocities  of  the  rest 
of  their  tribe.  But  tl.  1  deemed  it  advisable  to  re- 
ga  d  the  instructions  of  Sheridan,  and  Accordingly  attacked 


110  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

them,  killing  one  hundred  and  seventy-three  (fifty-three  of 
Whom  were  women  and  children),  and  capturing  one  hun- 
dred women  and  children,  beside  over  three  hundred  horses. 

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  * 

The  rush  to  the  Black  Hills  by  miners  and  speculators  when 
gold  was  discovered  there,  and  the  presence  of  troops  under 
Gen.  Custer,  made  the  Sioux  Indians,  under  Sitting  Bull, 
very  angry.  In  1876,  it  became  necessary  to  take  measures 
to  quiet  the  hostiles.  On  May  29th,  Gen.Crook  started  north 
from  Fort  Fetterman  with  47  officers,  1,000  men,  and  the  nec- 
essary scouts  and  wagon  train.  On  May  17th,  General  Terry 
marched  westward  with  600  cavalry  and  400  infantry  from 
Fort  Lincoln.  Col.  Gibbon  move  1  eastward  from  Fort  Ellis 
with  450  men,  cavalry  and  infantry.  At  the  mouth  of  the 
Kosebud  river  the  three  columns  met,  and  their  three  lead- 
ers decided  on  a  plan  of  action.  Failure  to  carry  out  this 
plan  at  the  right  time  resulted  in  the  sacrifice  of  Gen.  Ouster 
and  his  noble  band.  His  command  first  discovered  the  In- 
dian village  in  the  valley  of  the  Little  Big  Horn — the  largest 
number  of  Indian  huts  ever  seen  in  the  "West,  and  it  was  es- 
timated that  there  vrere  about  4,000  Indians. 

The  only  knowledge  the  Government  coukl  get  of  this  ter- 
rible massacre  was  through  Curly,  the  Upsaroka  scout,  from 
Kill  Eagle  (an  Indian  who  was  in  Sitting  Bull's  camp,  but 
afterward  surrendered),  and  from  Eidgely,  a  white  prisoner 
in  the  Sioux  camp,  all  of  whom  were  eye  witnesses  of  the 
conflict.  Curly's  testimony  was  taken  by  Gen.  Terry's  staff 
officers  through  an  interpreter.  Custer  and  every  man  of 
his  five  companies  were  killed.  The  battle  began  at  2  o'clock 
and  continued  till  sundown.  Curly  stated  that  Guster  lived 
until  nearly  all  his  men  were  killed  or  wounded.  When  he 
saw  Custer  hopelessly  surrounded,  he  watched  his  opportuni- 
ty, washed  the 'paint  from  his  face,  let  down  his  hair  like  a 
Sioux,  put  on  a  Sioux  blanket  and  worked  his  way  up  a  ra- 
vine. When  the  savages  charged  he  mingled  with  them  and 
was  not  known  from  one  of  their  own  number.  Seeing  one 
of  the  mounted  warriors  fall,  Curly  ran  and  got  on  his  pony, 
galloped  down  as  if  going  toward  the  white  men,  but  instead 
passed  up  a  ravine  and  made  his  escape.  He  said  lie  offered 
to  show  Custer  a  way  of  escape,  which  his  thoroughbred 
horse  could  easily  have  aided  him  to  accomplish,  but  he  mo- 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  Ill 

ttoned  him  away  with  his  hand  and  stayed  to  di»  with  his 
comrades.  At  la$t  the  General  received  a  shot  in  his  left  side, 
and  sat  down ;  another  shot  struck  him  and  he  fell  over. 
This  battie  occurred  on  Sunday,  June  25th,  1876.  On  Monday, 
Col.  Gibbon's  column  reached  the  bloody  scene.  They  found 
that  Ouster's  body  was  the  only  one  not  mutilated.  Around 
him  were  seven  of  his  officers,  among  whom  were  his  two 
brothers,  Boston  and  Thomas,  and  his  brother-in-law,  Lieut. 
Oalhoun.  Almost  at  his  feet  lay  his  nephew,  Autie  Reed,  only 
19  years  old.  The  body  of  Mr.  Kellogg,  the  correspondent 
of  the  New  York  Herall,  was  also  among  the  dead. 

Ridgely  said  that  after  the  mas- 
sacre the  Indians  took  six  of  the 
prisoners  and  tied  them  to  stakes 
and  burned  them  to  death,  while 
the  Indian  boys  were  allowed  to 
fire  red-hot  arrows  into  the  in 
flesh.  At  night  the  squaws  went  to 
the  battle-field  and  robbed  and 
mutilated  the  bodies  of  the  dead 
soldiers. 

As  soon  as  poss.lble  after  the 
Ouster  massacre,  Gen.  Sheridan  "''(W/''J 

concentrated  his  forces.   Generals 
Cook  and  Terry  were  reinforced 

under  Lieut.-Col.  Curr,  Lieut.  Otis  and  Col.  Miles,  so  that  by 
Au;-'.  5th  the  united  forces  of  the  two  generals  numbered 
4,000  men.  All  their  hard  marches  were  fruitless  in  en- 
gagenifnts  with  the  savages,  until  Oct.  21st,  when  Col.  Miles 
overtook  Sitting  Bull,  and  held  a  two  days'  consultation  with 
him,  which  was  e:ided  by  a  renewal  of  hostilities.  He  pur- 
si  i";  I  the  Indians  t  ^r  42  miles,  but  they  soon  sued  for  peace. 
The  campaign  of  1877  was  almost  continuous  with  that  of  the 
iing  year,  unt'l  April,  when  the  Sioux  became  anxious 
to  surrender.  Spotte  1  Tail  brought  1,100  to  the  agency,  which 
virtually  ended  the  Kioux  war. 

On  May  5th, Col.  Miles  (who  afterward  became  General)  en- 

l  Tame-Deer's  forces  on  a  branch  of  the  Rosebud  river, 

and  captured  450  ponies  and  destroyed  much  property,  but 

he  cume  near  losing  his  Ufa  while  holding  a  conference  with 

Iron  Star,  who,  after  shaking  hands  with  him,  picked  up  his 


112  INDIAN    MASSACRES. 

gun  and  fired,  but  the  bullet  struck  and  killed  a  soldier  fee- 
hind  the  Colonel. 

On  July  2Gth,  Gen.  Sherman  wrote,  in  ona  of  his  official 
reports  from  Fort  Ouster,  that  "there  are  no  Indians  here- 
abouts." 

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  * 

The  Ute  Indians  up  to  1879  were  peaceable  with  the  whites. 
In  186^,  a  tract  on  Southern  Colorado  was  set  apart,  for  their 
exclusive  use ;  but  soo a  immigrants  began  to  encroach  up- 
on their  lands.  In  1873,  they  relinquished  claim  to  their 
mining  property  for  a  consideration  from  the  United  States 
Government.  They  were  the  wards  of  Indian  Agent  Meeker, 
who  was  atone  time  agricultural  editor  of  the  New  York  Tri- 
bune. When  he  left  its  employ  he  formed  a  colony  to  settle 
in  Colorado,  and  he  called  the  place  selected  Greeley,  after 
Horace  Greeley,  his  former  employer. 

In  the  spring  of  1879,  Ute  hunting  parties  went  north  be- 
yond the  limits  of  their  reservation.  Mr.  Meeker  wrote  to 
the  commander  at  Fort  ^teele  to  arrest  the  trespassers,  and 
either  retain  them  or  send  them  back  to  their  own  reserva- 
tion. Sept.  8th,  of  1879, serious  difficulty  arose  at  ?Jr.  "Jeeker's 
White  River  Agency.  He  was  ploughing  some  of  their  land 
on  which  were  some  tents  and  corrals,  and  some  of  the  In- 
dions  objected  to  the  work.  Equally  as  good  ground  was 
offered  them  in  exchange,  but  they  wouldn't  listen  to  his 
proposal,  so  he  ploughed  away  until  stopped  by  armed  me:!. 
Sept.  10th  Mr.  Meeker  telegraphed  to  Washington  for  help, 
saying  he  had  been  forced  out  of  his  own  house  and  badly 
injured.  The  War  Department  ordered  Major  Thornburgh, 
commandant  at  Fort  Steele,  to  go  to  White  Eiver  Agency  to 
arrest  the  insubordinate  Indians  and  enforce  obedience. 
When  the  knowledge  of  the  approaching  troops  was  known, 
there  was  an  uprising  in  which  Agent  Meeker  and  all  his 
male  assistants  were  killed,  the  agency  building  sacked  and 
fired,  and  the  women  and  children  carried  off  to  the  south. 

On  the  morning  of  the  si  me  day  Major  Thornburgh 's 
command  was  attacked  by  a  body  of  Utes  when  15  miles  dis- 
tant, and  the  Major  himself  was  killed.  The  captive  wom- 
en and  children  were  rescued  soon  afterward  by  General 
Adams,  who  had  been  a  former  guardian  of  the  Utes  on  theu 
reservation. 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  113 


In  the  Commercial  Advertiser  of  F*b.  24th,  1895,  Mr.  Jokm 
A.  Cockerill  gave  his  version  of  the  Ouster  niassacr*,  He  hold* 
that  injustice  was  done  the  noble  General  by  som«  critic*, 
who  claimed  that  he  aimed  at  self  destruction. 

For  nearly  20  years,  he  says,  the  "  affair"  at  the  Little  Big 
Horn  has  been  misunderstood,  and  a  grave  injustice  has 
been  done,  first  to  General  Custer,  and  secondly  to  the  offi- 
cers and  soldiers  under  his  command,  who  died  with  him 
that  day.  There  are  to  day,  probably,  thousands  of  people 
in  the  United  States  who  believe  that  General  Custer  en- 
gaged with  the  Indians  on  that  occasion  with  a  recklessness 
and  a  purpose  which  in  point  of  fact  aimed  at  self-destruc- 
tion. This  most  unjust  and  cruel  belief  grows  out  of  the 
fact  that  General  Custer,  having  been  but  a  few  weeks  before 
summoned  to  Washington  to  testify  concerning  the  manage- 
ment in  the  West  of  army  affairs,  and  especially  with  refer- 
ence to  the  "  sutler"  or  •'*  post-trader"  system,  as  well  as  the 
methods  of  awarding  and  fulfilling  army  contracts,  had  giv- 
en testimony  not  only  wholly  unexpected  and  surprising, 
but  most  embarrassing  and  doubtless  incredible  to  certain 
high  government  officials.  He  was,  therefore,  made  very 
uncomfortable.  He  was  brought  to  feel  that  he  was  in  dis- 
grace. Never  before  had  his  cards  been  returned  to  him 
when  he  called  at  the  homes  of  distinguished  men  and  influ- 
ential officers  of  the  government.  His  brilliant  career  dur- 
ing the  war,  wherein  he  rose  from  the  rank  of  a  just  gradu- 
ated second  lieutenant  to  that  of  a  major-general  of  voluu- 
teersf  his  proven  courage  and  his  wonderful  success  in  all 
his  daring,  dashing  forages  upon  the  enemy  or  charges  in 
battle— all  these  had  made  him  a  favorite  hero  in  Washing- 
ton, and  up  to  this  time  ho  had  been  accustomed  to  be  warm- 
ly welcomed  and  made  much  of  wherever  he  went.  When 
all  this  was  changed  he  was  cut  to  the  heart,  and  refused  to 
be  comforted. 

He  undoubtedly  left  Washington  feeling  most  keenly  the 
injustice  with  which  he  had  been  treated ;  but  to  assume  that 
he  went  determined  to  find  death  on  the  first  occasion,  is  t6 
cast  a  shadow  of  shame  upon  his  name — a  thing  intolerable ! 
Doubtless  he  went  inspired  by  the  purpose  to  demonstrate 
anew  his  value  as  a  soldier ;  but  thoss  who  knew  him  knew 


11 -A  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

well  that  there  was  not  a  drop  in  his  veins  of  the  cowardly 
blood  which  would  lead  a  man  to  seek  to  escape  by  death  un- 
fairly accomplished  those  annoyances  which  had  grown 
grievous  to  him. 

Aside  from  this  there  is  the  testimony  of  the  battlefield  it- 
self to  show  that  Custer  did  not  make  ji  hencllong  plunge 
from  a  precipice  from  motives  of  pique,  dragging  down  witb 
him  as  brave  a  battalion  of  soldiers  as  the  June  sun  evei 
shone  upon.  The  "  Ouster  massacre''  was  not  a  "  massacre" 
in  the  sense  in  which  it  has  been  understood.  It  was  a  scene 
of  carnage— that  is  true.  It  was  an  awful  slaughter.  But 
the  popular  notion  that  Custer  and  his  men  were  driven  or 
Jed  into  a  trap  and,  huddled  together  like  sheep,  were  slain 
as  a  band  of  men  ma-'e  helpless  and  delivered  over  to  their 
fate  by  the  folly  .of  their  leader,  is  a  baseless  invention. 

For  some  days  Custer  had  been  hastening  to  overtake  a 
band  of  Indians,  which,  from  the  trail  they  left,  he  knew  did 
not  exceed  1,200  or  1,500,  at  the  most,  who  were,  in  turn,  has- 
tening to  join  Sitting  Bull,  to  assist  in  that  satanio  schemer's 
uprising.  He  was  deceived  as  to  the  numbers  of  those  whom 
he  was  destined  to  meet,  even  after  he  had  "  located"  their 
village  and  had  made  his  attack  accordingly.  Was  it  poor 
scouting  or  was  he  deceived  by  treachery,  pure  and  simple  ? 
Nobody  lives  to  tell.  We  only  know  that  the  chivalric  soul 
of  General  Custer  would  have  never  permitted  him  to  sacri- 
fice other  lives  than  his  own,  even  if  ho  were  determined  up- 
on 'deliberate  suicide. 

Dividing  his  command,  Custer  sent  Major  Eeiio,  with^our 
companies,  to  the  left  of  his  route,  while  Captain  Benteen, 
with  two  companies,  was  to  ass-ail  the  Indian  right  more  di- 
rectly and  perhaps  turn  it,  while  he,  himself,  with  five  com- 
panies, after  giving  Reno  and  Benteen  time  to  reach  their 
positions,  moved  boldly  and  swiftly  around  the  point  of  the 
"hog-back,"  behind  which  he  knew  the  enemy  lay,  forded 
the  creek  and  advanced  upon  the  village.  At  ence,  he  was 
antagonized  and  with  such  forco,  determination  and  confi- 
dence as  must  have  greatly  surprised  him.  Here  was  his 
first  opportunity  to  learn  that  he  had  more  than  1,200  or  1,500 
Pawnee  Indians  to  engage  with — and  it  is  fairly  a  question 
whether  he  lived  long  enough  to  realize  that  he  was  sur- 
rsunded  by  an  army  numbering  not  less  than  5,000  of  the 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  115 

most  savage  and  bloodthirsty  of  the  Sioux,   and   Cheyenne 
warriors. 

Whatever  he  may  have  comprehended,  he  fought  like  the 
accomplished  soldier  that  he  was.  After  the  battle  the  poor, 
defaced  and  mutilated  bodies  of  his  brave  followers  were 
buried  where  they  fell,  and  where  they  were  found— and 
through  this  circumstance  we  are  afforded  ample  proof  that 
neither  he  nor  his  followers  suffered  in  the  slightest  from 
panic  or  demoralization.  A  long  and  mathematically  accu- 
rate array  of  marble  hea  Istones  dotting  the  front  of  the  line 
of  his  maia  force  shows  where  his  skirmishers  fell,  each  dead 
on  his  post ;  for  the  field  has  now  become  a  national  ceme- 
tery, and  the  cheap  and  simple  boards  which  once  marked 
the  last  resting  place  of  these  brave  men  have  been  succeed- 
ed by  more  lasting  monuments. 

No  white  naaia,  as  has  been  said,  lives  to  tell  the  details  of 
this  battle ;  but  there  is  a  direct  and  pathetie  story  in  the  bat- 
tle field  itself  which  s-peaks  with  a  clearness  which  cannot  be 
misused  rsto  od . 

As  h©  nasked  forward  with  the  major  part  of  his  five  com- 
panies, the  serried  ranks  of  Sitting  Bull's  warriors  rose  up 
abcmt  and  enclosed  him  in  a  wall  of  ferocious  human  devil- 
ishnees— right,  left,  front  a '.id  rear.  He  made  his  dispositions 
with  rapidity,  but  with  skillful  coolness.  Two  troops  of  sixty 
men  were  thrown  out  upon  the  left  to  advance  in  parallel 
lines  with  his  own  movement. 

With  every  step  the  slaughter  became  more  terrible,  but 
every  landmark,  every  indication,  shows  that  he  fought  his 
men  with  a  presence  of  mind  he  could  not  have  exceeded  on 
parade.  But  the  end  was  inevitable  and  in  the  length  of 
time,  as  on©  Indian  witness  estimates,  that  it  would  take  "  a 
hungry  Indian  to  eat  his  dinner,"  or  as  another  said  that 
would  allow  a  candle  "to  bum  a  quarter  of  an  inch," — ia, 
say  from  20  to  25  mi:,utes  -all  that  was  left  of  Ouster  and  his 
men  were  their  torn,  mutilated  and  bleeding  bodies  lying  on 
the  spot  where  they  had  fought. 

Instinctively,  but  according  to  military  drill  and  disci, 
pline,  as  the  mute  but  convincing  testimony  of  the  field  it- 
self demonstrates,  the  d<  •  >rs  gathered  in  groups 
of  twos  and  fours  :  arid  here  and  thf>rfc  one  fell  fighting  sin- 
gle-handed, without  the  "elbow  t;>U'.-li'J  which  gives  courage 


116  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

to  «v«n  the  bravest.  And  there  are  sixty  headstones  which 
mark  the  graves  of  th®  mon  soat  to  tha  l«ft— none  are  unac- 
counted for. 

Around  Ouster  himself  was,  of  course,  the  greatest  number 
of  those  under  hi»  immediate  command — of  the  five  compa- 
nies—and on  them  the  fiercest,  hottest  anger  of  his  assailants 
was  spent.  Every  white  rmvi  was  slain  without  mercy,  and 
under  the  lead  of  the  red  demon,  Rain-in-the-Face,  who  com- 
manded a  thousand  Cheyennes,  each  and  every  body,  save 
that  of  Custer  alone,  was  shamefully  mutilated.  That  chief 
him :elf  tore  the  heart,  hot  and  reeking,  from  the  body  of 
Lieutenant  Tom  Custer,  the  general's  brother,  and  ate  it, 
amid  the  diabolical  applause  of  the  fiends  whom  he  led.  This 
\yasinpursuanceofa  vow  which  he  had  made,  and  as  re- 
venge for  a  fancied  wrong  done  him  by  the  Lieutenant.  Cus- 
ter s  body  was  saved  from  insult  and  mutilation.  The  won- 
derful career  of  the  fearless  leader  was  known  to  the  savages, 
and  secured  this  immunity. 

Further  tttan  this  it  is  not  necessary  to  rehearse  the  story. 
It  is  true  that  Keno  failed  to  come  to  the  relief  of  his  com- 
mander, and  has  been  most  severely  criticised  for  that  fail- 
ure. Whether  he  ought  to  be  or  not,  I  cannot  pretend  to 
say.  The  "hog-backs"'  offered  such  resistance  to  the  trans- 
mission of  sound  that  I  can  readily  understand  how  it  might 
happen  that  Reno  heard  nothing  and  suspected  nothing  of 
the  terrible  conflict  in  which  his  comrades  were  engaged. 
But  I  do  not  understand  v,  Ly,  under  the  circumstances,.  h« 
did  not  at  least  try  to  keep  in  touch  "with  his  commander. 

Still,  I  do  not  undertake  to  decide.  It  is  too  grave  a  mat- 
ter. 

History  may  and  does  show  instances  where  men  have 
bravely  "died  for  men/'  but  history  cannot  show  an  instance 
of  greater  devotion  to  duty  than  that  of  the  men  who  fought 
and  died  in  the  battle  of  the  Little  Big  Horn. 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  1 1 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

PHYSICAL  ENDURANCE  BY  YOUNG  WARRIORS — INDIAN  FIGHTING 
COURAGE— SUFFERINGS  OF  CAPTIVES,  AND  VARIOUS  INDIAN  MAT- 
TERS OF  INTEREST.  " 

THE  college  athletes  of  the  present  clay,  who  undergo  many 
hardships  on  the  football  field,  would  collapse  if  they  were 
called  upon  to  undergo  such  ordeals  as  young  Indian 
"bucks5'  were  subjected  to  in  ">eing  initiated  into  the  order 
of  warriors.  Mr.  Catlin,  in  his  book  on  Indians  tells  what 
he  saw  enacted  among  the  Maadan  tribe. 

The  young  warriors,  preparatory  to  undergoing  torture, 
were  obliged,  until  the  fourth  day  from  their  entry  into  the 
lodge,  to  abstain  from  food,  drink,  or  sleep!  On  the  fourth 
day  commenced  the  more  horrible  portion  of  the  exercises. 
Corning  forward,  in  turn,  the  victims  allowed  the  flesh  of 
their  breas's  or  backs  to  be  pierced  with  a  rough  two-edged 
knife,  and  splinters  of  v  e  thrust  through  the  holes. 

Enough  of  the  skin  and  flesh  were  taken  up  to  be  more  than 
sufficient  for  the  support  of  the  weight  of  the  body.  To  thesD 
splints  cords  let  down  from  the  roof  were  attached,  and  the 
subject  of  these  inflictions  was  hoisted  from  the  ground. 
Similar  splints  were  then  thrust  through  the  arms  and  legs, 
to  which  the  warrior's  arras,  and,  in  some  cases,  <<s  additional 
weights,  several  heavy  buffalo  heads,  were  hung. 

Thus  far  the  fortitude  of  the  Indian  sufficed  to  restrain  all 
exhibition  of  pain ;  while  the  flesh  was  torn  with  the  rude 
knife,  and  the  wooden  skewers  were  thrust  in,  a  pi 
•smile  was  frequently  observable  on  the  young  warrior's 
countenance ;  but  when  in  the  horrible  position  above  de- 
scribed, with  his  flesh  stretched  by  the  splints  till  it  appeared 
about  to  give  way,  a  number  of  attendant  ;  turn- 

ing him  round  and  round  with  poles,  he  would  burst  out  in 
the  most  lamentable  and  heart-rending  cries  that  the  human 
voice  is  capable  of  producing,  crying  forth  to  the  Great  Spirit 
to  support  and  protect  him  in  the  dreadful  trial. 

After  hanging  until  total  insensibility  brought  a  temporary 
relief  to  his  sufferings,  he  was  lowered  to  the  floor,  the  main 
supporting  skewers  were  withdrawn,  and  he  was  left  to  crawl 


1 1 8  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

off,  dragging  the  weights  after  him.  The  first  movement, 
with  returning  consciousness,  was  to  sacrifice  to  tho  Great 
Spirit  one  or  more  of  the  fingers  of  the  left  hand,  after  which 
the  miserable  wretch  was  taken  out  of  the  lodge.  Within  the 
court  a  new  trial  awaited  him ;  the  last,  but  most  terrible  of 
all.  An  active  man  took  his  position  on  each  side  of  the  weak 
and  mutilated  sufferer,  and,  passing  a  thong  about  his  wrist, 
urged  him  forward  at  the  top  of  his  speed  in  a  circle  rouud 
the  arena.  When,  faint  and  wreary,  he  sank  on  the  ground? 
the  tormentors  dragged  him  furiously  around  the  ring  until 
the  splints  were  torn  out  by  the  weights  attached,  and  he  lay 
motionless  and  apparently  lifeless.  If  the  splint  should  have 
been  so  deeply  inserted  that  no  force — even  that  of  the  weight 
of  individuals  in  the  crowd,  thrown  upon  the  trailing  skulls- 
could  break  the  integuments,  nothing  remained  but  to  crawl 
off  to  the  prairie  and  wait  until  it  should  give  way  by  sup- 
puration. To  draw  the  skewer  out  would  be  unpardonable 
sacrilege. 

It  is  told  of  one  man  that  he  suspended  himself  from  the 
precipitous  river  bank  by  two  of  these  skewers,  thrust  through 
his  arms,  until,  at  the  end  of  several  days,  he  dropped  into 
the  water,  and  swam  ashore.  Throughout  the  whole  ordeal, 
the  chiefs  and  sages  of  the  tribe  critically  observed  the  com- 
parative fortitude  and  endurance  of  the  candidates,  and 
formed  their  conclusions  thereupon  as  to  which  would  b& 
the  worthiest  to  command  in  after  time. 

"  It  takes  a  special  kind  of  courage  to  fight  Indians,"  said 
Major  Kagsdale,  in  Topeka.  "  They're  pretty  sure  to  sur- 
prise you  and  as  hard  to  catch.  Their  yelling  and  whooping 
alone  are  enough  to  stampede  men  not  trained  to  their  style 
of  fighting.  Sometimes  they  fight  under  cover,  and  you 
catch  a  fire  from  an  enemy  yon  can't  get  a  sight  of,  and 
again,  where  there  hasn't  been  one  to  be  seen,  they  seem  all 
to  spring  out  of  the  ground  at  once  and  charge  yon  as  though. 
nothing  could  stand  their  onset.  Then  there's  the  knowl- 
edge that  if  they  catch  you  alive  you'll  be  skinned  alive,  or 
burned,  or  your  life  tortured  out  of  you  by  slow  degrees  in  a 
thousand  other  ways  they  can  think  of  to  make  you  suffer. 
There's  many  a  stout-hearted  desperado,  a  terror  in  white 
settlements  and  not  afraid  to  have  a  pistol  or  shotgun  scrap 
any  hour  of  the  day  or  night  with  a  mam  of  his  own  color, 


*  *" 


••5 


,20  INDIAN   MASSACRES. 

\vho  doesn't  count  for  a  row  of  pins  in    an  Indian  fight. 

"  Take  Sam  Brown  of  Nevadafor a  case  in  point.  He  wasn't 
afraid  of  any  man  that  wore  boots,  and  he  was  the  terror  of 
the  mining  camps  everywhere  he  went.    The  Piute  Indians 
got  bad  one  time  and  a  party  was  organized  in  the  camps  to 
go  out  against  them.    Sam  joined  the  volunteers,  and  every- 
body in  the  party  and  ail  that  stayed  behind  were  talking 
about  the  big  deeds  Sam  Brown  would  do,  and  chuckling  t' 
think  of  the  way  those  redskins  would   be  wiped  out  wke* 
they  run  up  against  him. 

"  Well,  wheu  they  came  upon  the  Indians,  things  didnv 
turn  out  quite  as  they  had  expected.  It  was  the  whites  tha; 
got  licked  out  in  short  order,  and  those  that  weren't  left  on  tht 
ground  stampeded  for  safety.  Sarn  Brown  was  one  of  the 
first  ones  to  run,  and  the  pace  he  set  his  horse  at  to  get  awat 
from  those  red-skins  was  something  that  beat  quarter  rac- 
ir;  gin  the  way  of  reckless  riding.  As  they  stampeded  dowr 
a  canyon,  every  man  trying  to  be  the  foremost  to  get  away. 
Sam  hailed  Joe  MoMurtie,  who  was  riding  a  better  horse  than 
his: 

"'Oh,  Mao!  Pull  your  horseva  little  so  I  can  come  up, 
We'll  ride  safer  together.' 

"  Mc^Iurtle'sai  swer  to  that  friendly  invitation  was  to  bone 
down  to  his  horse's  neck,  set  in  the  spurs,  and  get  out  of  thai 
canyon  ahead  of  £am  and  back  to  Bodie  as  fast  as  hoofs* 
could  carry  him.  He  knew  Sam  Brown,  and  that  if  thai 
worthy  once  got  alongside  of  him  he  wouldn't  hesitate  if 
shoot  him  off  his  horse  so  as  to  get  a  better  mount  for  him- 
self. After  they  all^got  back  to  the  settlement  he  didn't  g<; 
round  to  places  where  he  was  likely  to  meet  Sam,  lest  it  might 
stir  him  up  to  unpleasant  recollections  of  their  Indian  cam- 
paign." 

A  few  personal  recitals  of  persons  in  captivity  about  their 
sufferings  while  with  the  Indians  will  be  read  with  interest. 

John  Gyles  said  that  one  winter,  as  he  and  his  captives 
were  moving  from  place  to  place  in  the  wilds  of  Maine,  a 
moose  was  killed,  and  he  and  a  young  Indian  were  ordered 
to  carry  home  the  best  parts  of  it.  It  being  late  in  the  even- 
ing when  they  came  to  where  the  moose  lay,  they  had  not 
time  to  collect  materials  for  a  lire.  At  the  same  time  a  heavy 
snowstorm  set  in  and  continued  ail  night.  They  made  what 


INDIAN  -JES.  121 

fire  they  could  and  sat  by  it  until  morning, when  they  set  out 
on  the  return  march.  Their  clothes  were  soaked  with  the 
melted  snow,  and  they  had  not  traveled  far  before  the  rnoose- 
skin  coat  of  Gyles  (which  was  about  his  only  apparel 
frozen  stiff  around  his  knees  like  a  hoop,  while  his  snow- 
shoes  and  snow-inoccasins  were  frozen  fast  to  his  feet.  Dur- 
ing the  entire  day  he  continued  the  weary  inarch,  without 
food  or  fire,  sick,  drowsy  and  disheartened.  The  young  In- 
dian, who  was  better  clad,  soon  left  him  behind.  At  length 
he  reached  the  wigwam.  When  the  Indians  removed  his 
pack  they  found  that  the  place  where  it  had  lain  on  his  back 
was  the  only  part  of  his  body  not  frozen.  His  snow-shoes 
were  cut- off  from  his  numbed  feet,  and  after  sitting  by  the 
fire  a  short  time  the  blood  began  to  circulate,  his  feet  and 
ankles  turned  black  and  swelled  with  bloody  blisters,  painful 
to  the  last  degree.  Soon  ai'torw;ird  the  skin  came  off  his  feet 
entire,  like  a  shoe,  as  high  as  the  ankles,  leaving  his  naked 
toes  without  nails  and  the  ends  of  his  great-toe  bones  bare, 
which  shortly  turned  black,  so  that  he  was  forced  to  cut  off 
the  first  joint  with  his  knife.  The  Indians  furnished  him 
rags  and  fir  balsam  for  a  dressing,  but  told  him  at  the  same 
time  he  would  undoubtedly  die.  J5y  careful  nursing,  how- 
ever, he  got  so  he  could  walk  on  his  heels  with  the  aid  of  a 
cane.  In  fifteen  days  the  Indians  again  moved.  They  made 
two  little  hooplike  shoes  for  Gyles,  s  >  that' he.  was  able  to  fol- 
low them,  though  often  in  the  most  excrutiating  torture  from 
the  snow  and  water.  He  was  eventually  sold  to  a  French- 
man in  Canada. 

Eobert  Rogers  was  caught  in  a  hollow  tree  where  he  had 
hidden  from  the  Indians.  They  pulled  him  out,  stripped 
him,  and  spurred  him  forward  at  the  points  of  their  knives 
until  they  reached  camp.  He  was  tied  to  a  tree,  and  after  a 
dance  around  him  a  fire  was  kindled  and  thrust  upOn  him 
with  much  laughter  and  shouting.  They  then  cut  scollops 
of  flesh  from  his  body  and  threw  them  in  his  face.  After  he 
was  dead,  his  body  was  set  down  upon  the  glowing  coals, 
and  left  tied  to  the  stake. 

Peter  Williamson,  who  lived  near  the  forks  of  the  Dela  \  are 
river,  with  several  others,  were  captured  and  had  bitter  ex- 
periences. At  their  halting  plac  (  him 
and  painted  his  body  in  various  colors.  At  other  times  they 


122  INDIAN   MASSACRES. 

would  pluck  the  white  hairs  from  his  head  and  mockingly 
tell  him  he  had  lived  too  long ;  again,  tying  him  to  a  tree 
they  would  whip  him  and  scorch  his  cheeks  with  red-hot- 
coals  and  burn  ids  legs  with  fire-brands.  Williamson  saw 
the  bellies  of  three  other  captives  ripped  open  and  their 
bowels  burned  before  their  eyes.  Another  victim  was 
buried  in  the  ground,  with  only  his  head  left  in  view.  After 
scalping  him,  he  was  thus  left  in  agony  for  several  hours ;  a 
fire  was  then  kindled  near  him  and  his  brains  were  literally 
roasted.  Then  they  out  off  his  head  and  buried  it  with  the 
other  bodies.  Williamson  was  compelled  to  dig  the  graves. 
He  finally  escaped  one  night  when  the  Indians  were  asleep 
and  reached  his  home  in  Pennsylvania. 

On  the  23rd  of  truly,  1836,  John  Thompson,  the  keeper  of 
the  Cape  Florida  Lighthouse,  discovered  a  large  body  of  In- 
dians behind  the  kitchen  as  he  was  passing  from  that  place 
to  the  lighthouse.  Calling  to  an  old  negro,  they  ran  for  the 
tower,  reaching  the  door  amid  a  shower  of  bullets,  and  just 
in  time  to  lock  it  before  the  savages  reached  them.  Thomp- 
son stationed  the  negro  at  the  door,  and,  taking  hi*  three 
muskets,  which  were  loaded  with  ball  and  buckshot,  went  to 
the  second  window,  and  by  firing  from  this  and  other  win- 
dows succeeds;:!  in  keeping  them  at  bay  until  dark.  The 
savages  continued  pouring  in  a  heavy  fire  of  balls,  and  at 
length  set  fire  to  .the  lighthouse.  The  balls  of  the  enemy  had 
penetrated  the  tin  tanks  containing  two  hundred  and  twen- 
ty-five gallons  of  oil,  which,  escaping,  saturated  everything 
— woodwork,  clotiies  and  bedding.  The  flames,  fed  by  this 
unctuous  fluid  and  by  the  yellow-pine  lumber,  spread  fast 
and  fiercely.  When  driven  away  by  the  fire,  the  heroic 

i1  took  a  musket,  balls  and  keg  of  gunpowder  to  the 
top  of  the  house ;  then,  going  below  again,  began  to  cut 

thc:  stairs  halfway  from  the  bottom.  The  negro  now 
coming  up,  he  with  difficulty  dre  .v  him  up  over  the  space  al- 
ready cut ;  in  a  short  time  both  were  driven  by  the  flames  to 
the  top  of  the  building.  Covering  the  scuttle  that  led  up  to 
the  lantern,  they  succeeded  in  keeping  the  fire  from  them 
for  so: ;^o  time.  At  length  the  dreadful  moment  came;  the 
flame:;  burst  through,  and  at  the  same  time  the  savages  be- 
gantl'^ le  fiendish  yells.  The  poor  old  negro  looked  at  his 
master  with  tears  in  his  eyes,  but  could  not  speak.  They 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  H>3 

went  out  of  the  lantern,  which  was  now  full  of  flames,  the 
lamps  and  side  glasses  bursting  and  flying  in  all  directions. 
With  their  clothes  on  lire  and  th<  ;  they  lay 

down  on  the  edge  of  the  platform,  is  t.vo  i 

width ;  to  move  now  from  this  spot  would  be  almost  certain 
death  from  the  balls  of  us.  To  more  qui:-kly  end 

his  excruciating  suffering-:,  the  keeper  then  threw  the  keg  of 
gunpowder  down  the  scuttle,  hoping  to  be  instantly  blown 
into  eternity ;  but  in  this  he  was  disappointed  ;  t!ie  explosion 
indeed  shook  the  tower  from  top  to  bottom,  and  for  a  mo- 
ment checked  the  progress  of  the  fire  by  throwing  down  the 
staircase  and  all  the  woodwork  near  tL  ?  top  of  the  light- 
house. But  soon  the  fierce  element  again  raged  relentlessly. 
At  this  point  the  old  ne:yro  diefl.  Thompson  had  received  six 
balls,  three  in  each  foot,  and,  finding  that  he  was  roasting 
alive,  he  resolved  to  jump  oft'.  Going  outside  of  the  iron 
railing  and  recommending  his  soul  to  God,  he  was  on  the 
point  of  precipitating  himself  on  the  rocks  below,  when  some- 
thing whispered  to  him  to  return  and  lie  down.  He  did  so, 
and  in  two  minutes  the  fire  fell  to  the  bottom  of  the  house, 
and  in  a  very  short  time  died  out. 

The  Indians,  thinking  him  dead,  next  set  fire  to  the  dwell- 
ing-house, kitchen  and  other  outbuildings ;  and  began  to 
carry  their  plunder  down  to  the  little  sloop  belonging  to  the 
keeper.  About  ten  o'clock  the  next  morning  they  departed. 
Thompson's  position  was  now  almost  as  desperate  as  before. 
A  burning  fever  was  on  him ;  his  feet  were  shot  to  pieces ; 
his  clothes  burned  from  his  body ;  he  had  nothing  to  eat  or 
drink ;  a  hot  sun  wa.s  overho  •.  with 

no  friend  near  or  likely  to  be ;  and 

eighty  feet  from  the  ground,  with  no  prosp-octof  getting 
down.  About  twelve  o'clock  he  thought ,  j  red  a  ves- 

sel not  far  off.    His  eyesight.  c,  but 

served  him  well  upon  this  occasion.  Taking  a  piece  of  the 
negro's  trousers,  that  had  escape!  the  flames  from  being 
saturated  with  blood,  he  made  a  signal.  In  the  after- 
noon, seeing  his  sloop  coming  in  tow  of  two  boats,  he 
felt  sure  that  the  Indians  had  noticed  his  sign  and  were  re- 
turning to  murder  him.  Bur,  it  pr  >ve  i'  the 
United  .States  schooner,  blotto,  Ci:  .with 
a  detachment  of  seamen  and  marines.  They  had  retaken 


1;M  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

Thompson's  sloop  after  it  had  been  divested  of  everything. 
They  told  him  that  they  had  heard  his  explosion  twelve 
miles  away,  and  had  at  once  sailed  to  his  assistance,  although 
scarcely  expecting  to  find  him  alive.  Night  coming  on,  they 
were  forced  to  return  on  board,  but  assured  him  of  their 
prompt  assistance  ia  the  morning;  at  which  time  they  tried 
to  send  a  line  to  him  by  means  of  a  kite  which  they  had  made 
during  the  night.  But  this  not  succeeding,  they  next  fired 
twine  from  their  muskets,  tying  it  to  the  ramrods.  This  ef- 
fort proved  successful.  Thompson  hauled  up  a  tail-block, 
made  it  fast  to  an  iron  stanchion  and  dropped  the  twine 
through  the  pulley,  by  which  means  those  below  hoisted  a 
strong  rope.  Two  men  were  then  raised,  by  this  means,  to 
the  wounded  man,  whom  they  soon  had  on  the  ground.  He 
stated  that  after  being  received  aboard  the  Motto,  every 
man,  from  the  captain  to  the  cook,  endeavored  to  alleviate 
his  sufferings.  He  was  taken  to  the  military  hospital  in 
Charleston,  S.  C.,  where  he  eventually  recovered,  although 
ho  remained  a  cripple  all  his  life. 


INDIANS   AS  EQUESTRIANS. 

As  bold  and  skilful  riders  Indians  have  no  superiors;  some 
of  their  feats  of  horsemanship  appear  almost  supernatural  to 
a  stranger.  One  of  the  most  singular  of  these  is  that  of 
throwing  the  whole  body  upon  one  side  of  the  horse,  so  as  to 
be  entirely  shielded  from  the  missile  of  an  enemy,  with  the 
exception  of  the  heel,  by  which  they  still  maintain  their  hold, 
and  are  enabled  to  regain  their  seat  in  an  instant.  The  man- 
ner in  which  this  seemingly  impossible  position  is  retained 
is  as  follows  :  A  short  hair  ii  alter  is  passed  around  under  the 
neck  of  the  horse,  and  tfoth  ends  tightly  braided  into  the 
mane,  on  the  withers,  leaving  a  loop  to  hang  under  the  neck, 
and  against  the  breast,  which,  being  caught  up  in  the  hand, 
makes  a  sling  into  which  the  elbow  falls,  taking  the  weight 
of  the  body  on  the  middle  of  the  upper  arm.  Into  this  loop 
the  rider  drops  suddenly  and  fearlessly,  leaving  his  heel  to 
hang  over  the  back  of  the  horse,  to  steady  him,  and  also  to 
restore  him  when  he  wishes  to  regain  his  upright  position  oxj 
the  horse's  back, 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  125 

The  Indian  rider,  as  he  sweeps,  at  full  »pe«d,  past  iufi  ene- 
my, in  this  unnatural  attitude,  ii  iaid  to  managt  hi»  long 
lance,  and  his  bow  and  arrow,  with  nearly  th®  same  facility 
as  if  fairly  mounted.  He  will  discharge  his  arrow  over  tha 
back  of  the  horse,  or  even  his  neck!  Indians'  are  awkward 
and  ungainly  in  their  movements  when  on  foot,  but  when 
mounted  upon  the  animals  that  have  become  almost  a  part 
of  themselves,  nothing  can  exceed  the  lightness  and  freedom 
of  their  posture  and  movements.  Their  wild  horses  were 
taken  by  the  lasso,  arid  w^re  at  first  disabled  by  being 
" choked  down,"  as  it  is  termed.  When  the  hunter  had  thus 
conquered  and  enfeebled  his  prize,  he  proceeded  to  tie  his 
fore  feet  together,  and,  loosening  the  noose  about  his  neck, 
took  a  turn  with  it  about  the  lower  jaw,  and  completed  the 
subjection  of  the  animal  by  closing  his  eyes  with  his  hand 
and  breathing  in  his  nostrils.  After  this,  little  difficulty  was 
experienced ;  the  horse  submitted  to  be  mounted,  and  was 
soon  entirely  under  the  control  of  his  tormentor.  The  In- 
dians are  severe  and  cruel  riders,  and  the  ease  of  supplying 
th«  logs  of  a  horse  on  the  plains  croated  disregard  for  the  ani- 
mal'* safety  or  welfare. 


BUFFALO  HUNTING. 

Tho  bison,  or  North  American  buffalo,  was  the  staple  food 
of  the  wild  Indians  in  their  palmy  days.  The  extension  of 
civilization  and  the  wanton  destruction  of  these  noble  beasts 
have  nearly  caused  their  extinction.  During  certain  seasons 
of  the  year,  they  congregated  in  immense  herds,  but  wero 
generally  distributed  over  the  country  in  search  of  the  best 
pastorage.  They  had  no  certain  routine  of  migration,  al- 
though those  whose  occupation  led  to  a  study  of  their  move- 
ments could  in  some  localities  point  out  the  general  course 
of  their  trail ;  and  this  uncertainty  rendered  the  mode  of 
subsistence  depended  upon  by  extensive  western  tribes  of 
Indians  exceedingly  precarious.  Upon  the  open  prairie  the 
bison  was  generally  pursued  upon  horseback,  with  the  lance 
and  bow  and  arrow.  The  short  stiff  bo  w  was  little  calculated  for 
accurate  marksmanship,  or  for  a  distant  shot;  riding  at  full 
speed,  the  Indian  generally  waited  till  he  had  overtaken  his 


126  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

prey,  and  discharged  his  arro  v  from  the  distance  of  a  few 
feet.  The  admirable  training  of  the  horse,  to  whom  the  rider 
was  obliged  to  give  loose  rein  as  he  approached  his  object  and 
prepared  to  inflict  the  deadly  wound,  was  no  less  noticeable 
than  the  spirit  and  energy  of  tlie  rider.  Such  was  the  force 
with  which  the  arrow  was  thrown,  that  repeated  instances 
are  related  of  its  complete  passage  through  the  huge  body 
of  the  buffalo,  and  its  exit  upon  the  opposite  side.  This 
near  approach  to  the  powerful  and  infuriated  animal  was  by 
no  means  without  danger.  Although  the  horse,  from  in- 
stinctive fear  of  the  buffalo's  horns,  sheered  off  immediately 
upon  passing  him,  it  was  not  always  done  with  sufficient 
quickness  to  avoid  his  stroke.  The  hunter  was  so  carried 
away  by  the  excitement  and  exhilaration  of  pursuit,  as  to  be 
apparently  perfectly  reckless  of  his  own  safety;  trusting 
entirely  to  the  sagacity  and  quickness  of  his  horse  to 
take  him  out  of  the  danger  into  v/hich  he  was  rushing.  The 
noose,  or  lasso,  used  in  catching  wild  horses,  was  often  left 
trailing  upon  the  ground  during  the  chase,  to  afford  the 
hunter  an  easy  means  of  securing  and  remounting  his  horse 
in  case  he  should  be  dismounted,  by  the  attack  of  the  buffalo 
or  otherwise.  In  the  winter  season  it  was  common  for  the 
Indians  of  the  northern  latitudes  to  drive  the  buffalo  herds 
from  the  bare  ridges,  where  they  coiiected  to  feed  upon  the  ex- 
posed herbage,  into  the  snow-covered  valleys.  The  unwieldy 
beasts,  as  they  floundered  through  the  drifts,  were  easily 
overtaken  by  the  hunters, supported  by  their  snow-shoes,  and 
were  killed  with  the  lance  or  bow.  Another  method,  adopted 
by  the  Indians,  was  to  put  on  the  disguise  of  a  white  wolf- 
skin, and  steal  unsuspected  among  the  herd,  where  they 
could  select  their  prey  at  leisure.  Packs  of  wolves  frequent- 
ly followed  the  herds,  to  feed  upon  the  carcasses  of  those 
that  perished,  or  the  remains  left  by  the  hunters.  They  dare 
not  attack  them  in  a  body,  and  were  consequently  no  ob- 
jects of  terror  to  the  buffaloes ;  but,  should  an  old  or  wound- 
ed animal  be  separated  from  the  company,  they  collected 
around  him,  and  gradually  wearied  him  out  and  devoured 
him.  When  buffaloes  were  plenty,  and  the  Indians  had  fair 
opportunity,  the  most  astonishing  and  wasteful  slaughter 
ensued.  Beside  the  ordinary  methods  of  destruction,  the 
custom  of  driving  immense  herds  over  some  precipitous 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  137 

ledge,  where  those  behind  trample  down  and  thrust  ov 
foremost,  until  hundreds  and  thousands  were  destroyed,  has 
been  often  described.  Even  at  seasons  in  which  the  fur  was 
valueless,  and  little  beside  a  present  supply  of  food  could 
be  obtained  by  destroying  the  animal  which  constituted  their 
sole  resource,  no  spirit  of  forethought  or  providence  re- 
strained the  wild  hunters  of  til.:  prairie.  A  party  of  Sioux 
returned  from  a  hunt  in  1832  bringing  fourteen  hundred  Luf- 
falo  tongues,  all  that  they  had  secured  of  their  booty.  One 
hundred  and  fifty  or  (wo  hundred  thousand  of  their  robes 
were  supplied  annually,  the  greater  part  of  which  were  taken 
from  animals  killed  expressly  for  the  robe,  at  a  season  when 
the  meat  was  not  cured  and  preserved,  and  for  each  of 
which  skins  the  Indian  received  but  a  pint  of  whisky ! 


THE  BUFFALO  DANCE  AND  BAIN  MAKING. 

In  times  of  scarcity  of  provisions,  when  the  buffalo  herds 
had  wandered  away  from  the  vicinity,  so  far  that  the  hunters 
dared  not  pursue  them,  for  fear  of  enemies,  the  "  buffalo 
dance"  was  performed  in  the  central  court  of  the  village. 
Every  man  of  the  tribe  possessed  a  mask  made  from  the  skin 
of  a  buffalo's  head,  including  the  horns,  and  dried  as  nearly 
as  possible  in  the  natural  shape,  to  be  worn  on  these,  occa- 
sions. When  the  wise  men  of  the  nation  determined  upon 
their  invocations  to  attract  the  buffalo  herds,  watchers  were 
stationed  upon  the  eminences  surrounding  the  village,  and 
the  dance  commenced.  With  extravagant  action,  and 
strange  ejaculations,  the  crowd  performed  the  prescribed 
manoeuvres :  as  fast  as  those  engaged  became  weary,  they 
would  sig'iify  it  by  crouching  down,  when  those  without  the 
circle  would  go  through  the  pantomine  of  severally  shooting, 
flaying  and  dressing  them,  while  new  performers  took  their 
place.  Night  and  day  the  mad  scene  was  kept  up,  sometimes 
for  weeks  together!  until  th©  signal  was  given  of  the  ap- 
proach of  buffalo,  wheti  all  prepared  with  joy  and  hilarity  for 
a  grand  hunt,  fully  convinced  that  their  own  exertions  had 
secured  the  prize. 

No  less  singular  was  the  ceremonial  restored  to  when  the 
crops  were  suffering  for  want  of  rain.  A  knot  of  the  wisest 


1'28  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

medicine-men  would  collect  in  a  hut,  whoro  they  held  their 
session  with  closed  doors,  burning  aromatic  herbs  and  going 
through  with  an  unknown  series  of  incantations,  '^ome  tyro 
was  then  sent  up  to  take  his  stand  on  the  roof,  in  sight  of 
the  people,  and  spend  the  day  in  invocations  for  a  shower.  If 
the  sky  continued  clear,  he  retired  in  disgrace,  as  one  who 
need  not  hope  ever  to  arrive  at  the  dignity  of  a  medicine- 
man. Day  after  day  the  performance  continued,  until  a 
cloud  overspread  the  skies,  when  the  young  Indian  on  the 
lodge  discharged  an  arrow  toward  it,  to  l«t  out  the  rain. 


SATCfllNG  BEAVERS  AND  BEAJRS. 

The*  Indian  method  of  taking  beavsr  was  as  follows :  Be- 
fore the  waters  were  frozen  they  caught  them  in  wooden  and 
steel  traps;  after  that, they  hunted  them  on  the  ice.  When 
the  animals  were  in  their  houses,  and  not  in  subterranean 
lodgings  in  the  banks,  the  Indians,  taking  mauls  and  hand- 
spikes, broke  all  the  hollow  ice  to  prevent  them  from  getting 
their  heads  above  the  water  under  it.  They  then  forced  open 
the  houses,  and  the  beavers,  escaping,  would  run  to  the  open 
places  to  breathe,  where  the  savages  would  either  catch 
them  by  the  hind  legs,  throw  them  out  on  the  ice  and  tom- 
ahawk them,  or  else  shoot  them  when  their  heads  appeared 
above  the  water.  Tecaughretanego  (adopted  brother  of  Ton- 
tileango)  told  Smith  that  the  dams  made  by  the  beavers 
served  them  in  a  variety  of  ways ;  for  example,  in  raising  the 
water  over  the  mouths  of  their  lodging-places  in  the  bank, 
and  also  by  enabling  them  to  cut  down  saplings  without  go- 
ing out  much  upon  the  land ;  for,  as  they  live  chielly  upon 
the  bark  of  trees,  and  are  extremely  slow  and  awkward  when 
out  of  the  water,  they  would  be  killed  by  their  enemies  if 
i'ound  far  from  the  banks. 

To  kill  bears  in  winter  they  searched  about  until  they  found 
a  tree  that  had  been  scratched  by  the  bear  in  climbing,  and 
discovered  if  the  hole  were  large  enough  to  admit  him.  Then, 
when  it  was  pos  sible,  they  would  fell  a  sapling  in  such  a  way 
that  it  would  fall  against  or  near  the  opening,  when  one  of 
th«rn  would  climb  up  and  drive  Bruin  from  his  retreat.  If 
tiaw  aaplingi  or  trees  near  at  hand  leaned  the  wrong  way,they 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  129 

gathered  some  rotton  wood  and  tied  it  in  bunches  with  bark ; 
then,  making  a  wooden  hook  and  taking  a  long  pole,  one  of 
them  would  ascend  a  neighboring  tree,  draw  up  the  pole  by 
means  of  a  hook  which  he  reached  from  limb  to  limb  as  he 
climbed,  and  igniting  his  spunk- wood,  place  it  into  the  cavity. 
Presently  the  bear  would  come  forth  and  be  shot  by  the  one 
below. 


FUNERAL  RITES  OF  SOME  TRIBES. 

Long  years  ago  the  body  of  the  dead  Indian  was  tightly 
wrapped  and  bound  up  in  fresh  or  soaked  buffalo  skins,  to- 
gether with  the  arms  and  accoutrements  used  in  life,  and  the 
usual  provision  of  tobacco,  Hint  and  steel,  knife  and  food. 
A  slight  scaffold  was  then  prepared,  of  sufficient  height  to 
serve  as  protection  from  the  wolves  and  dogs,  and  there  the 
body  was  deposited  to  decay  in  the  open  air.  Day  after  day 
those  who  had  lost  friends  would  come  out  from  the  village 
to  this  strange  cemetery,  to  weep  and  bewail  over  their  loss. 
Such  geiiuiae  and  long-continued  grief  as  was  exhibited  by 
the  afflicted  relatives  puts  to  shame  the  cold  heartedness  of 
too  many  among  the  cultivated  and  enlightened.  When,  after 
the  lapse  of  years,  the  scaffolds  had  fallen,  and  nothing  was 
left  but  bleached  and  mouldering  bones,  the  remains  were 
buried,  with  the  exception  of  the  skulls.  These  were  placed 
in  circles  upon  the  plain,  with  the  faces  turned  inward,  each 
resting  upon  a  bunch  of  wild  sage ;  and  in  the  centre,  upon 
two  slight  mounds,  "medicine-poles"  were  erected,  at  the 
foot  of  which  were  the  heads  and  horns  of  a  male  and  female 
buffalo.  To  these  new  places  of  deposit,  each  of  which  con- 
tained not  far  from  one  hundred  skulls,  would  the  mourners 
again  resort,  to  evince  their  further  affection  for  the  dead— 
not  in  groans  and  lamentations,  however,  for  several  years 
had  cured  the  anguish ;  but  fond  affections  and  endearments 
were  renewed,  and  conversations  were  here  held,  *  and  cher- 
ished, with  the  dead.  The  wife  or  mother  would  sit  for  hours 
by  the  side  of  the  white  relic  of  the  loved  and  lost,  addressing 
the  skull  with  the  most  affectionate  and  loving  tones,  or, 
perchance  lying  down  and  falling  asleep  with  her  arma 
around  it.  Food  would  be  nightly  set  before  many  of  these 


130  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

skulls,  and,  with  the  most  tender  care,  the  aromatic  bed  upon 
which  they  reposed  would  be  renewed  as  it  withered  and  de- 
cayed. 


MATERNAL   AFFECTION    AND    CAKE    OJf    INFANTS. 

One  of  the  most  remarkable  and  touching  traits  of  char- 
acter observable  among  the  Sioux,  is  the  strength  of  mater-, 
nal  affection.-  Infant  children,  according  to  the  common 
custom  of  western  Indians,  are  carried,  for  the  first  six  or 
seven  months  of  their  existence,  strapped  immoveabiy  to  a 
board,  the  hands  and  arms  being  ge^e rally  left  at  liberty. 
A  hoop  protects  the  child's  face  froiu  injury  in  case  of  a  fall, 
and  the  whole  apparatus  is  often  highly  ornamented  with 
fringe  and  embroidery.  This  pack  or  cradle  is  provided  with 
a  broad  band,  which  is  passed  rouad  the  forehead  of  the 
mother  sustaining  the  weight  of  the  child  pendant  at  her 
back.  Those  who  have  been  most  familiar  with  this  mode 
of  treatment  generally  approve  of  it  as  best  suited  to  the  life 
led  by  the  Indian,  and  as  in  no  way  cruel  to  the  child.  After 
the  infant  has  in  some  degro-3  acquired  the  use  of  its  limbs, 
it  is  freed  from  these  incumbrances,  and  borne  in  the  fold  of 
the  mother's  blanket.  If  the  infant  dies  during  the  time 
that  is  allotted  to  it  to  be  carried  in  this  cradle,  it  is  buried, 
and  the  disconsolate  mother  fills  tha  cradle  with  black  quills 
and  feathers,  in  the  parts  which  the  child's  body  had  occu- 
pied, and  in  this  way  carries,  it  around  with  her  wherever  she 
goes  for  a  year  or  more,  with  as  much  care  as  if  her  infant- 
were  alive  and  in  it;  and  she  often  lays  or  stands  it  against 
the  side  of  the  wigwam,  where  she  is  all  day  engaged  with 
her  needle-work,  and  chatting  and  talking  to  it  as  familiarly 
and  affectionate  as  if  it  were  her  loved  infant,  i:: stead  of  its 
shell,  that  she  was  talking  to.  So  lasting  and  so  strong  is 
the  affection  of  these  women  for  -:iild,  that  it  mat- 

ters not  how  heavy  or  cruel  their  load,   or  how  rugged   the 
route  they  have  to  pass  over,  they  will  faithfully  carry  this, 
and  carefully,  from  day  to  day,  an ••;  even  more  strict; 
form  their  dutioa  to  it,  than  if  tho  ciJId  wtve  aiiv*  And  in  it. 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  131 


PORTRAIT  OF  A  MAN!) A 5  WAftRIOR. 

The  :ires«  of  the  Man  dan  * 

fashion  similar  to  that  of  the  neighboring  ai  singu- 

larly rich  and  elaborate.     It  was  formed  entirely  oL'  skins  :  a 

• 

;?;u;ie   m.  •eaiUilully  fringed,  and   BB3 

with  porcupine  quills;  and  an  outer  mantle  of  the  fur  of  a 

•  buffalo,  formed   tl  it.     The' 

•  rate,  and  \\^-~  i  'tod, 

by  all  who  could  obtain  •:*,  of  ermine  skins  and 

o  high  a  value  was  set  upon 
r  having 

•ed  t)  give   fcv  .   the  value  ot1 

;  ornament.    ;  ome 
authority  :u- 

i'  buf- 
.  1 1  arra » i  p;ed  as  } hey 

the   pride  and  de- 
.«ious 

rtraits,  for  whicl-  bo   sit 

;n  the  moment 

»s  were,  ai 

•re   behei 
.    r.    An  id 

-  )ino  portion  - 
•iOtm   ab.- 
•quently  his  term  of  existence 

urcvs  living  after  the  do  111  of  the  original,  the  quiet  rest  *f 
the  grave  ;-,in)uid  be  tro  .  -y  a  most  ingenious  and  ju- 

dicious policy  in  adopting  a  mode   of  explanation,   suited  to 

•  parity  of  his  hearers,  arid  by  wisely  ingratiating  Jura- 
self  with  the  chiefs  and  medicine- men,    ?.J  r.  Catlin  succeeded 


133  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

in  stilling  the  commotion  excited  by  such  suggestions  and 
suspicions.  He  was  held  in  high  estimation,  and  feasted  by 
the  principal  men  of  the  tribe,  whose  portraits  he  obtained 
for  his  invaluable  collection. 


TWO  STAB  SEES  THE  KINETOSCOPE  AND  HEARS  THE  PHONOGRAPH. 

Probably  no  Indian  who  ever  visited  Washington  to  coun- 
sel with  the  Great  Father  returned  to  his  tribe  better  satis- 
fied with  the  results  of  his  trip  than  the  Sisseton  Sioux,  Two 
Star.  He  not  only  accomplished  the  object  of  his  mission, 
but  he  was  entertained  in  a  style  that  falls  to  the  lot  of  few 
of  the  nation's  wards.  Agent  Keller  was  with  him,  as  well  as 
the  interpreter,  Joe  Brown.  The  latter,  by  the  way,  is  a 
somewhat  notable  figure  himself.  He  is  a  son  of  that  Major 
Brown  who  commanded  the  troops  at  the  battle  of  Birch 
Cooley  during  the  Sioux  outbreak.  He  has  lived  all  his  life 
among  these  Indians,  and  now  keeps  a  large  store  on  the 
reservation. 

Two  Star  was  sent  by  his  tribe  to  ask  tbe  immediate  pay- 
ment to  them  of  $199,000  of. their  principa!  now  in  the  custody 
of  the  United  States.  This  sum  amounted  to  $1, 699,000.  The 
Indians  were  in  destitute  circumstances,  owing  to  an  almost 
complete  failure  of  '.heir  crops  in  1894,  and  the  interest  due 
them  was  not  sufficient  to  tide  them  over  another  year.  The 
impairment  of  the  principal  is  a  matter  \vhich  by  law  rests 
entirely  with  the  President.  In  this  case  he  promised  to  fol- 
low the  recommendation  of  the  Commissioner  of  Indian  Af- 
fairs, which  was  to  the  effect  that  the  grant  be  made. 

It  is  a  somewhat  singular  fact  that  although  T  »vo  Star  was 
one  of  Gen.  Silbey's  scouts  and  had  always  associated  with 
the  whites  upon  terms  of  the  friendliest  intimacy,  he  cannot 
speak  a  word  of  English.  His  enjoyment  of  the  white  man's 
amusement  s  is,  however,  noue  the  less  keen.  Senator  Rvle's 
clerk,  Duncan  McFarland,  took  him  in  to  see  the  kinetoscope. 
As  he  looked  in  upon  the  picture  in  motion  a  look  of  amaze- 
ment, not  unmixed  with  a  degree  ofconsternation,  crept  over 
his  face.  He  stepped  back  and  looked  around,  above,  and 
below  the  case  to  fled  out  what  caused  the  exhibition.  It 
was  some  time  before  he  could  be  persuaded  to  again  apply 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  133 

the  ©ye  to  the  aperture,  and  when  the  machine  stopped  with 
a  click  the  noble  red  man  jumped  as  if  he  had  heard  the  war- 
whoop  of  some  of  his  tribal  enemies. 

He  was  equally  amazed,  but  none  the  less  pleased,  with  the 
phonograph,  and  insisted  upon  having  a  selection  by  the 
Marine  Band  repeated.  He  was  taken  to  an  amateur  athletic 
and  gymnastic  performance  at  the  Columbia  Athletic  <  lab. 
and  witnessed  the  exhibition  of  skill  and  prowess  with  a  de- 
light that  was  almost  childlike.  Just  before  his  departure 
for  the  West,  Two  Star  said  to  a  correspondent : 

"I  was  here  in  1867,  but  no  one  paid  any  attention  to  mo 
then.  I  think  Washington  is  a  much  ricer  place  now.  It 
will  be  no  use  for  me  to  toll  my  people  about  the  things  i 
have  seen  and  heard  (referring  to  the  kinetoscope  and  pho- 
nograph), for  no  one  would  believe  me.  They  would  say  I 
wa§  not  speaking  the  truth." 


SOLDIEBS'  LETTERS  ABOUT  INDIANS. 

The  following  letter  was  received  by  a  member  of  the  Phil- 
adelphia police  force  from  his  son  on  the  frontier: 

"Dear  Parents: -We  have  had  some  hard  times  since  I 
wrote  you  last.  We  left  Pine  Eidge  on  the  28th  day  of  De- 
cember and  marched  all  night,  and  on  the  morning  of  the 
29th  we  went  to  disarm  Big  Foot's  band,  and  it  caused  a'  hard 
fight  in  which  thirty  soldiers  were  killed  and  about  eighty- 
five  wounded.  One  officer  was  killed  and  one  wounded.  It 
was  a  very  poor  plan,  the  way  they  laid  out  the  fight.  They 
had  four  troops  dismounted  and  formed  a  square  around  the 
Indians,  and  they  were  so  close  together  that  they  could 
touch  the  Indians  with  their  guns ;  then  the  other  four  1 
were  mounied  in  rear  of  the  camp.  They  thought  that  trie- 
Indians  were  going  to  lay  down  their  arms  without  a  w;  •!•;;. 
All  the  men  were  full  of  fun,  but  they  soon  changed  their 
tune.  After  they  had  the  tents  searched  they  went  to  take 
the  arms  from  the  bucks.  They  were  all  in  a  bunch, 
when  they  least  expected  it  they  made  a  break  and  starter! 
to  shor.t  and  cut  at  every  one ;  and  the  way  the  soldiers  were 
fixed  they  could  not  shoot  for  fear  of  killing  one  another,  but 
they  soon  got  straightened  out,  and  then  we  got  in  our  flne 


134  INDIAN    MASSACRES. 

work.  At  the  first  volley  we  fired  there  were  about  twenty 
or  thirty  Indians  dropped,  and  \ve  t:ept  it  up  until  we  cleaned 
out  the  whole  band ;  all  over  the  field  you  could  see  an  In- 
dian running  and  a  soldier  after  him.  There  was  a  canon 
close  by,  aud  some  of  the  Indians  took  refuge  there,  and  it 
took  us  about  two  hours  to  get  them  out.  They  killed  two 
men  out  of  our  troop  and  \vounded  two  or  three  before  we 
got  them  out.  After  it  was  all  over  it  was  an  awful  sight  to 
see.  It  made  me  sick  to  look  at  it.  There  were  about  one 
hundred  and  fifteen  bucks  and  about  seventy-five  women 
and  children  killed.  I  did  not  like  to  see  the  squaws  killed, 
but  they  were  as  bad  as  the  bucks  after  the  fight  started. 
Some  of  the  men  went  wild ;  they  would  shoot  men  or  women. 
The  officers  tried  to  stop  them,  but  it  was  of  no  use ;  they 
would  shoot  any  one  they  saw  with  a  gun ;  and  it  was  right, 
I  think,  as  the  women  could  kill  as  well  as  the  men.  Even 
after  the  Indians  were  wouoded  and  lying  oa  the  ground, 
they  would  wait  until  they  got  a  chance,  and  then  would 
shoot  a  soldier  in  the  back.  There  was  one  Indian  who  was 
lying  in  a  tent.  He  killed  about  four  men  before  they  found 
out  where  he  was,  but  after  they  found  him  they  shot  him, 
and  then  they  burned  him  up  in  the  tent.  Then  some  of  the 
men  went  around  and  shot  every  Indian  that  was  able  to  do 
any  damage.  I  don't  think  there  were  any  more  than  five 
or  six  who  got  a\vay  out  of  the  whole  band.  If  our  com- 
manding officer  had  done  what  was  right,  we  would  not  have 
lost  one-fifth  of  the  men  that  we  did.  After  the  fight  was  all 
over  we  moved  back  to  the  agency,  and  were  on  the  road  all 
that  night,  but  we  got  a  little  sleep  before  morning ;  and  it 
was  a  good  thing  that  we  did,  for  we  had  to  pull  out  early  in 
the  morning  of  the  3Uth  to  help  the  Ninth  Cavalry  wagon- 
train,  which  the  Indians  had  tried  to  take ;  but  when  we  ar- 
rived they  took  to  the  hills.  We  then  pulled  back  to  the 
camp,  but  we  did  not  have  long  to  stay,  for  the  Indians  set 
tire  to  some  buildings  a  few  miles  from  the  agency,  and  we 
were  ordered  out  again.  We  then  got  lots  of  real  Indian 
fighting.  They  led  us  up  in  the  hills,  and  then  they  turned 
on  us  and  kept  us  busy  all  day :  we  only  lost  one  man  and 
about  six  wounded.  We  do  not  know  how  many  Indians 
were  killed,  because  we  had  to  get  back  to  camp  before  it  got 
dark.  We  had  to  stay  up  almost  all  night,  so  as  to  keep  the 


INDIAN    MASSACRES.  135 

Indians  away  from  the  agency,  but  none  came  near." 

The  following  letter  was  written  by  a  private  in  the  Sev- 
enth Cavalry : 

"  Of  course  you  read  in  the  newspapers  that  we  are  in 
trouble  here.  Beside  my  own  regiment,  the  Seventh  Caval- 
ry, the  Ninth  Infantry  came  in  two  days  ago.  But  there 
seems  to  be  no  head  anywhere.  Some  of  our  officers  would 
make  better  clerks  than  soldiers.  The  government  employes 
are  merely  a  set  of  useless,  mischief-making  loafers.  Thank 
fortune,  most  of  them  are  badly  scared  and  are  packing  to 
leave.  The  fact  is,  until  the  reservations  are  cleared  of  all 
civilians  and  turned  over  to  military  authority  there  will  be 
no  change  for  the  better.  Of  course  the  Indians  are  robbed 
—we  see  it  every  day.  All  the  fat  cattle  out  of  the  govern  - 
ment  herd  go  to  the  settlements,  and  the  greyhounds  go  to 
the  Indians.  Of  course  they  are  lazy  and  idle,  but  before  we 
get  through  it  will  be  plain  that  it's  cheaper  to  feed  than  to 
fight  them.  One  thing  should  be  done:  all  preachers  and 
philanthropists  should  be  warned  off.  They  do  more  harm 
than  good.  The  competition  between  the  half  a  dozen  de- 
nominations which  have  their  headquarters  here  to  make 
converts  leads  to  a  regular  system  of  purchase,  and  the 
preacher  who  pays  the  best  rounds  up  the  most  Icjuns.  Sit- 
ting-Bull worked  the  philanthropists  for  all  there  was  in  it, 
and  laughed  at  them  when  their  backs  were  turned.  As  to 
making  these  savages  self-supporting,  the  idea  is  regarded 
as  absurd  by  those  who  know  them  best,  and  if  the  govern- 
ment would  close  the  reservations  against  the  whites,  drive 
away  the  half-breeds  and  squaw-men,  put  the  Indians  under 
the  rule  of  army  officers,  and,  above  all,  feed  them,  I  believe 
that  henceforth  there  would  be  no  trouble.  Yesterday,  the 
29th  of  December,  we  had  a  stand-up  fight  at  Porcupine 
Creek',  about  fifteen  miles  north  of  the  agency.  Just  after 
midnight  we  were  ordered  to  turn  out,  and  at  daybreak  the 
bugles  sounded  "Boots  and  saddles,"  and  about  eight- 
o'clock  we  came  to  Little  Wound's  camp,  near  Porcupine 
Creek.  There  were  about  fifty  tepees  set  up.  The  squaws 
were  packing  in  wood  from  the  ravines.  But  very  few  bucks 
were  to  be  seen.  Everything  seemed  peaceful  enough.  After 
sitting  two  hours  in  our  saddles,  half  frozen,  as  the  weather 
wae  mighty  cold,  we  found  out  that  our  business  was  to  dis- 


136  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

arm  the  ludians.  Of  course  the  whole  thing  was  bungled. 
About  a  dozen  bucks  came  forward  with  two  old  blunder- 
busse-,and  then  Colonel  Forsyth  ordered  a  detail  of  five  men 
from  each  company  to  search  the  tepees.  I  was  cradling 
into  one  when  I  got  a  kick  from  behind  that  fairly  drove  my 
head  through  the  cover  on  the  opposite  side,  and  landed  me 
on  a  pile  of  dogs  and  babies.  I  got  outside,  mad  as  a  hattei, 
and  there  stood  a  squaw  grinning  with  delight.  I  made  a 
grab  at  her  bangs,  when  down  both  of  us  went,  and  this 
saved  my  life.  Suddenly  there  was  a  crash  and  the  air  was 
full  of  bullets.  I  heard  them  racing  past.  The  poor  squaw 
.  had  got  on  her  feet  first,  and  went  down,  shot  through  the 
head.  Her  blood  flew  over  the  cape  of  my  coat.  I  scram-, 
bled  up.  Every  one  was  shouting  and  shooting,  and  there 
was  no  more  order  than  in  a  bar-room  scrimmage.  I  ran  for 
my  horse ;  it  was  kicking  on  the  ground,  and  my  file-leader, 
Murphy,  was  under  the  animai's  heels,  dead.  Half  a  dozen 
others  lay  around  wounded  and  dead.  In  front  a  crowd  of 
blanketed  forms  was  making  for  the  coolies,  when  crash 
weiit  the  rifle- volley,  and  they  were  gone.  No  orders  were 
given,  either  by  voice  or  bugle,  that  I  heard.  I  shot  one 
buck  running,  and  when  I  examined  him  he  had  neither  gun 
nor  cartridge-belt.  The  women  lay  thick.  One  girl  about 
eighteen  was  supporting  herself  on  her  hand,  the  blood 
spurting  from  her  mouth  as  from  a  pump.  Near  her  lay  two 
others,  and  all  around,  like  patches  on  the  snow,  were  dead 
squau  s,  each  in  a  pool  of  blood.  The  howitzers  were  at  work 
firing  grape  into  the  brushwood  that  lilled  the  ravines,  but 
the  Indians  were  gone,  and  I  had  lime  to  draw  my  breath. 
From  beginning  to  end  I  don't  think  I  saw  two  dozen  bucks, 
and  it  is  a  mystery  to  all  where  the  bullets  came  from  that 
killed  and  wounded  one -third  of  my  regiment.  My  left  arm 
felt  sore,  and  I  found  that  a  bullet  had  cut  my  sleeve  and 
grazed  the  flesh.  It  was  bleeding s freely,  and  I  have  no 
doubt  that  I  was  shot  by  one  of  my  comrades— the  rip  in  my 
coat  showed  this.  The  bugles  sounded  "Cease  firing,"  but 
many  of  the  men  were  up  in  the  hills,  and  now  and  then  a 
shot  was  heard.  Colonel  Forsyth.  looked  very  white  as  he 
gave  orders  to  see  if  any  of  the  women  who  lay  thick  around 
were  alive.  From  the  blanket  of  one  we  took  a  boy  five  years 
old  and  a  baby  about  as  many  months— both  unhurt,  but 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  137 

the  mother  was  dead.  She  must  have  been  shot  with  a  re- 
volver held  not  five  feet  away,  as  her  hair  was  burned  and 
the  skin  blackened  with  powder.  But  we  had  got  it  "  in  the 
neck."  My  captain,  Wallace,  was  dead  and  eight  of  my  com- 
pany, and  when  we  mustered  in  it  looked  as  if  half  the  regi- 
ment was  gone.  1  had  my  arm  dressed,  and  we  returned  to 
Pine  Kidge  next  day.  Of  course  the  camp-liar  was  in  his 
glory,  but  who  shot  the  squaws  was  not  known,  at  least  no 
one  boasted  of  it." 


INDIAN  TELEGRAPHY. 

It  Is  wonderful  to  what  a  state  of  perfection  Indians  had 
carried  a  simple  mode  of  signaling  by  smoke.  Scattered 
over  a  great  portion  of  the  plains  are  isolated  peaks  that  can 
be  seen  20  to  50  miles.  These  were  selected  for  telegraphic 
stations.  By  varying  the  number  of  columns  of  smoke  dif- 
ferent meanings  were  conveyed.  A  simple  and  easily  varied 
mode,  resembling  somewhat  the  ordinary  alphabet  of  the 
magnetic  telegraph,  was  arranged  by  building  a  small  fire 
which  was  not  allowed  to  bla^e ;  then,  by  placing  an  armful 
of  partially  green  grass  or  weeds  over  the  fire,  as  if  to 
smother  it,  a  dense  white  smoke  was  created,  ordinarily  as- 
cending in  a  vertical  column  hundreds  of  feet.  This  col- 
umn of  smoke  is  to  the  Indian  mode  of  telegraphing  what 
the  current  of  electricity  is  to  the  system  employed  by  white 
men ;  the  alphabet,  as  far  as  it  goes,  is  almost  identical,  con- 
sisting of  long  and  short  lines  and  dots.  Having  this  cur- 
rent of  smoke  established,  the  Indian  operator  simply  took 
his  blanket,  and  by  spreading  it  over  the  small  pile  of  weeds 
or  grass  from  which  the  column  of  smoke  took  its  source, 
and  properly  controlling  the  edges  and  corners  of  the  blank- 
et, he  confined  the  smoke,  and  in  this  way  was  able  to  retain 
it  several  movements.  By  rapidly  displacing  the  blanket, 
the  operator  was  enabled  to  cause  a  dense  volume  of  smoke 
to  rise,  the  length  or  shortness  of  which,  as  well  as  the  num- 
ber and  frequency  of  the  column,  he  could  regulate  perfect- 
ly, simply  by  the  proper  use  of  the  blanket.  For  the  trans- 
mission of  brief  messages,  previously  determined  upon,  no 
more  simple  method  could  easily  be  adopted. 


138  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 


INDIANS  THAT  WORK. 

For  the  benefit  -f  people  who  imagine  Indians  too  lazy  to 
wor'c,  Commissioner  Morgan  says  that  in  one  year  $642,000 
were  paid  them  for  services  rendered.  This  money  was  paid 
to  agency  and  school  employes,  to  farmers,  interpreters,  po- 
lice, judges  of  Indian  courts,  for  hauling  supplies  purchased 
from  them,  for  breaking  land  on  government  property  and 
for  logs  cut  and  banked  by  them.  This  is  a  very  good  show- 
ing for  Indian  labor,  and  the  sum  paid  would  be  ten  times  as 
large  as  it  is  if  there  were  work  enough  to  give  employment 
to  all  who  wish  it. 

Th :5  Umatilla  Indians  of  Oregon  have  been  under  care  of 
the  government  for  many  years  and  are  practically  self- 
supporting,  and  would  long  ago  have  been  entirely  independ- 
ent had  their  lands  been  allotted  to  them  in  severalty.  With 
population  of  only  one  thousand,  in  one  year  they  harvested 
three  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  bushels  of  wheat,  cut  two 
thousand  tons  of  hay,  and  other  crops  in  proportion.  In  a 
short  time,  this  tribe,  as  well  as  others  which  have  rich  lands 
and  fair  opportunities,  sucli  aa  the  white  settlers  select  for 
themselves,  will  be  able  to  stand  alone.  The  Utes,  who  a 
few  years  ago  were  leading  the  life  of  nomad  savages,  have 
six  hundred  acres  under  cultivation,  and  raise  goodly  quan- 
tities of  wheat,  corn  and  oats.  They  have  learned  the  art  of 
irrigation  by  means  of  ditches.  The  Jicarilla  Apaches  show 
an  inborn  thrift,  Though  the  white  settlers  have  all  the  best 
lands,  and  the  Indians  have  no  water  for  irrigation  pur- 
poses, they  cultivated  in  one  year  three  hundred  and  fifty 
acres- with  fair  results,  and  cut  four  hundred  tons  oi!  hay. 


INDIAN   SCHOOLS  AND  WHAT  IS  TAUGHT. 

There  are  schools  established  to  teach  you og  Indians  "  how 
to  shoot"  with  their  brains  instead  of  the  old-time  bow  and 
arrow.  They  are  located  at  Carlisle  In  Pennsylvania,  Salem 
in  Oregon,  Genoa  in  Nebraska,  Haskell  in  Kansas,  Chilocco 
in  Oklahoma,  Grand  Junction  in  Colorado,  and  Albuquerque 
in  New  Mexico.  In  round  numbers  they  cost  the  govern- 
ment $300,000  during  the  fiscal  year  of  1890,  and  on  an  enroll- 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  189 

mentof  about  '2,100  pupils  had  an  average  attendance  of 
about  1,800,  with  288  employes.    Four  other  such  schools — 
those  of  Carson,  Santa  Fe,  Pierre,  and  Fort  Totten—  will  in- 
crease the  capacity  by  over  600  pupils.    The  Lincoln,  Hamp- 
ton  and  St.  Ignatius,  conducted  by  private  enterprise,  al- 
though with  government  appropriations,  fall  into   this  list. 
In  such  schools  the  Indian  lads   may  learn   something  of 
blacksmithing,  broom-making,  carpentering,  farming,  fruit- 
culture,  harness-making,  printing,    tailoring,    shoemaker; 
and  wheelwrighting,  while  the  girls  are  instructed  in  the  va- 
rious duties  oi  housekeeping.    The  outing  system  at  some 
of  these  schools  allows  Indian  boys  and  girls  to  lind  homos, 
at  wages,  during  a  part  of  each  year  with  farmers  an  i 
ers.    They  have  the  great  advantage  also  of  boiiu; 
from  the  drawbacks  of  reservation  life.    These  schools  form 
one  of  the  most  promising  portions  of  our  system   of  India:; 
management.    The  chief  trouble  is  that  they  can   only  ac- 
commodate about  half  the  children  of  school   r.ge,   so 
their  number  should  be  increased.    In  many  ways  the  j 
learn  the  uew  life  in  store  for  their  race,    The  very  ho! 
are  instructive,  as  well  the  school-time.     These  holidays,  be- 
ginning with  New  Year's  Day,  then  taking  in  Franchise  Day 
on  February  8th,  Washington's  Birthday,  Decoration  Day, 
Arbor  Day,  Fourth  of  July,  Than-  md  Chiistmas,  are 

celebrated  in  a  way  that  makes  them  a  part  of  the  general 
education. 


IMPROVIDENCE  OF  THE  NASCAPEE  INDIANS. 

Distressing  intelligence  was  sent  out  by  missionaries  early 
this  year  (1895)  of  the  misery  and  privation  among  the  Nas- 
capee  Indians  along  the  Labrador  coast.  Though  industri- 
ous, these  aborigines  are  fearfully  improvident,  and  it  is 
largely  owing  to  their  wilful  destruction  of  game  and  fur- 
bearing  animals  in  the  summer  that  they  are  reduced  to  dire 
extremity  in  the  winter.  Hitherto  these  Indians  have  been 
allowed  to  kill  whatever  they  like,  irrespective  of  game  laws, 
and  the  result  is  such  a  falling  off  in  late  years  in  the  num- 
ber of  furs  coming  from  their  country  that  there  is  a  general 
outc:ry  against  the  exemptions  in  favor  of  theae  improvident 


140  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

people,  and  a  demand  that  they  be  made  amenable  to  law  and 
reason  like  everybody  else.  They  might  make  a  comfortable 
living  in  summer  without  killing  game  and  fur-bearing  ani- 
mals out  of  season,  for  the  waters  of  the  north  shore  swarm 
with  codfish  and  salmon,  and  sea  trout  are  to  be  had  in  great 
abundance  in  nearly  ail  the  streams.  But  these  Nascapees 
have  a  great  aversion  to  both  fish  and  fishing,  and  would 
rather  want  than  take  fish.  When  taken  ill  they  generally 
blame  fish  for  causing  the  trouble  and  \vrap  up  their  throats 
in  a  piece  of  fish  net,  to  propitiate  the  spirit  of  the  fish.  Only 
when  no  game  or  fur-bearing  animals  can  be  killed  in  the 
summer  do  they  resort  to  fishing  in  order  to  sustain  life,  and 
then  only  after  their  nets  have  been  propitiated  by  having 
been  married  to  two  young  girls  of  the  tribe,  with  a  cere- 
mony far  more  formal  than  that  observed  in  the  case  of  mere 
human  wedlock.  The  fish,  too,  are .  propitiated,  being  ad- 
dressed from  the  fishing  camp  by  one  of  the  party  chosen 
for  the  function,  who  exhorts  them  to  take  courage  and  be 
caught,  assuring  them  that  the  utmost  respect  will  be  shown 
to  their  bones.  These  Indians  decli-.e  to  believe  themselves 
responsible  for  the  present  dearth  of  game  and  fur  bearing 
animals,  and  affect  to  believe  that  either  some  evil-disposed 
sorcerer  has  kept  the  game  from  them  or  that  the  spirits  of 
the  animals  themselves  have  taken  affront,  probably  because 
dogs  have  been  allowed  to  feed  upon  some  of  their  bones,  or 
because  some  wounded  representative  of  their  species  lias 
not  been  properly  ad  I ressed  and  propitiated  by  his  slayer. 
Since  reason,  therefore,  is  of  no  avail  in  inducing  a  more 
prudential  line  of  action  among  these  people,  it  is  pretty  cer- 
tain that  a  few  more  years  will  find  the  tribe  extinct.  Even 
the  older  duck,  which  was  formerly  so  plentiful  in  Labrador, 
is  fast  disappearing  before  the  steady  killing  of  the  birds  and 
robbery  of  the  nests  in  hatching  time  by  the  Nascapees. 


SATANTA'S  FAMILY  REUNION. 

Satan ta  and  Lone  Wolf,  chiefs  of  the  Kiowas,  held  as  pris- 
oners by  Gen.  Sheridan  at  Fort  Cobb,  to  insure  the  peaceable 
surrender  of  their  people,  who  were  encamped  within  a  day's 
journey  from  there,  were  given  to  understand  that  unless 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  141 

they  sent  messages  to  have  their  villages  come  in  by  sun- 
down of  the  next  day  they  would  be  hung  the  day  following. 
This  peremptory  order  had  the  desired  effect  and  the  tribe 
came  marching  in  on  time.  Next  morning  the  family  or 
families  of  Satan ta  appeared  in  front  of  headquarters  and  ex- 
pressed a  wisL  to  see  the  "  head  of  the  house."  No  objection 
was  made  and  the  guards  passed  them  through  the  lines. 
Satanta's  home  circle  was  organized  somewhat  on  the  quad- 
rilateral plan ;  that  is,  he  had  four  wives.  They  all  came  to- 
gether, and  apparently  constituted  a  happy  family.  They 
were  all  young  and  buxom,  and  so  near  alike  that  they  might 
have  passed  as  sisters.  It  is  customary  among  ludiansfor 
one  man  to  marry  an  entire  family  of  daughters  as  rapidly  as 
they  reach  the  proper  age,  thus  avoiding  the  evil  of  a  multi- 
plicity of  mothers-in-law.  To  add  to  the  striking  similarity 
in  appearance  of  these  dusky  spouses,  each  bore  on  her  back, 
encased  in  the  folds  of  a  scarlet  blanket,  a  pledge  of  affection 
in  the  shape  of  a  papoose,  the  difference  in  the  extreme  ages 
of  the  four  miniature  warriors,  or  warriors'  sisters,  being  too 
slight  to  be  perceptible.  In  single  file  the  four  partners  of 
Satanta's  joys  approached  his  lodge,  and  in  the  same  order 
gained  admittance.  The  chief  was  seated  on  a  buffalo  robe 
when  they  entered  He  did  not  rise,  but  each  of  the  squawfl 
advanced  to  him,  when  instead  of  going  through  the  orcL 
nary  form  of  embracing,  with  its  usual  accompaniments,  on 
such  occasions  considered  proper,  the  papoose  was  unslung 
and  placed  in  the  outstretched  arms  of  the  father,  who  kissed 
it  repeatedly,  with  every  exhibition  of  paternal  affection, 
scarcely  deigning  to  bestow  a  single  glance  on  the  mother^ 
who  stood  by  meekly,  contenting  herself  with  stroking  Sa- 
tanta's face  and  shoulders  gently,  at  the  same  time  mutter- 
ing almost  inaudible  expressions  of  Indian  endearment. 
This  touching  little  scene  lasted  for  a  few  moments,  when  a 
kiss  was  bestowed  on  the  rosy  lips  of  the  child  and  it  was 
handed  back  to  the  mother,  who  quietly  took  a  seat  by  the 
side  of  the  chief.  The  second  wife  then  approached,  when 
precisely  the  same  exhibition  was  gone  through  with,  not  be  • 
ing  varied  from  the  first  in  the  slightest  particular.  This  be- 
in  cf  ended,  the  third  took  the  place  of  the  second,  the  latter 
1  assing  along  with  her  babe,  and  seating  herself  next  to  the 
tirst,  and  so  on  until  the  fourth  wife  had  presented  her  baby, 


142  INDIAN    MASSACRES. 

received  it  back  and  taken  her  seat  by  the  side  of  the  third 
Not  a  word  was  spoken  by  Satanta  from  beginning  to  end  of 
this  strange  meeting. 


LITTLE  BOOK'S  CHARMING  DAUGHTER. 

Mo-nah-se-tah,  the  daughter  of  Little  Bock,  was  an  exceed- 
ingly comely  squaw,  possessing  a  bright,  cheery  face  and  a 
countenance  beaming  \vith  intelligence,  and  a  disposition 
more  inclined  to  be  merry  than  one  usually  finds  among  In- 
dians. She  was  probably  und  r  20  years  of  age.  She  had 
laughing  eyes,  pearly  teeth,  a  rich  complexion  and  beautiful 
silken  tresses  rivaling  in  color  the  blackness  of  the  ravea, 
and  extending,  when  allowed  to  fall  loosely  over  her  shoul- 
ders, below  her  waist.  She  had  been  traded  in  marriage. 
An  Indian  maiden  who  should  be  so  unfortunate  as  to  be 
'•'  given  away"  would  not  be  looked  upon  as  a  very  desirable 
match.  Being  the  daughter  of  a  chief  high  in  rank,  Mo-nah- 
se-tah  was  justly  considered  as  belonging  to  the  cream  of 
the  aristocracy,  if  not  to  ro;*ilty  itself ;  consequently  the 
suitor  who  hoped  to  gain  her  hand  must  be  prepared,  ac- 
cording to  custom,  to  pay  handsome ;y  for  an  alliance  so 
noble.  Among  the  young  braves  who  aspired  to  her  posses- 
sion was  one  who,  so  far  as  worldly  wealth  was  concerned, 
was  eligible.  Unfortunately,  however,  he  had  placed  too 
much  reliance  upon  this  fact,  and  had  not  thought  that  while 
obtaining  the  consent  of  paterfamilias  it  would  be  well  also 
to  win  the  heart  of  the  maiden.  The  consent  of  a  maiden  to 
a  proposed  marriage,  while  desirable, was  not  deemed  essen- 
tial in  a  "  swap."  If  the  bridegroom  was  acceptable  to  the 
father  of  the  bride,  and  had  the  "  wherewith"  in  ponies,  that 
settled  it.  From  two  to  four  ponies  was  the  average  market 
price  for  a  squaw;  but  ulo-nah-se  tan  came  high,  and  Little 
Kock  held  the  price  at  eleven  ponies.  The  young  warrior 
raised  the  stock  and  the  transfer  was  made.  It  turned  out 
an  unsatisfactory  investment.  The  bride  was  taken  to  his 
lodge,  but  refused  to  acknowledge  him  as  her  husband,  or  to 
render  him  that  obedience  and  menial  service  which  the  In- 
dian exacts  from  his  wife,  and  time  failed  to  soften  her  heart. 
The  patience  of  the  youn^  huooand  became  exhausted.  Hav- 


INDIAN    MASSACRES  H3 

hg  failed  to  win  love  by  kindness,  he  determined  to  have 
recourse  to  harah  measures.  He  mistook  tlie  character  of 
her  upo,n  whose  obdurate  heart  threats  nor  promises  pro- 
duced the  desired  effect.  Mo-nah-se-tah,  like  most  squaws, 
was  as  ski'ful  i  i  the  use  of  weapons  as  warriors  are,  and  re- 
minded her  husband  that  she  would  not  submit  to  any  digni- 
ties, and  that  she  \vould  resist  even  to  the  taking  of  his  life, 
and  suiting  the  action  to  the  word,  she  leveled  a  small  pistol 
which  she  had  carried  concealed  beneath  her  blanket  and 
fired,  wounding  him  in  the  knee  and  disabling  him  for  life. 
Little  Kock,  learning  of  what  occurred,  and  finding  upon  in- 
vestigation that  his  daughter  had  not  been  to  blame,  con- 
cluded to  cancel  the  marriage,  or  grant  a  divorce,  which  was 
accomplished  simply  by  returning  to  the  unfortunate  hus- 
band the  eleven  ponies  which  had  been  paid  for  his  wife. 
What  an  improvement  upon  the  method  prescribed  in  the 
civilized  world !  No  lawyers  fees,  no  publicity  nor  •  scandal, 
and  tedious  delays  avoided. 


THE    EDITOR  OF  "  TEXAS  SIFTINGS"  ATTEMPTS  TO  BIDS  A  MUSTANG. 

The  majority  of  Texas  ponies  buck,  or  pitch,  as  it  is  some- 
times termed,  whenever  circumstances  seem  to  demand  an 
exhibition  of  this  facetious  freak,  or  the  condition  of  things 
seems  to  justify  the  sportive  caprice.  In  fact,  some  ponies 
will  buck  for  hours,  only  stopping  to  get  breath  for  a  fresh 
start.  This  kind  is  recommended  for  the  use  of  dyspeptics 
and  invalids  suffering  from  torpidity  of  liver.  A  pitching 
mustang,  when  working  on  full  time  and  strictly  devoting 
his  attention  to  business,  is  the  most  moving  sight  I  ever  be- 
held. His  spine  s"eerns  to  bo  of  whalebone,  and  he  appears 
to  possess  all  the  elements  of  a  steamboat  explosion,  a  high- 
pressure  pile-driver,  an  earthquake,  in  addition  to  the  en- 
thusiasm of  a  county  convention.  We  were  glad  to  ilnd  that 
ours  were  not  bucking  ponies,  and  we  congratulated  each 
other  on  the  fortundte  circumstance.  Of  course,  as  we 
argued,  if  there  had  been  any  buck  in  them  it  would  have 
developed  itself  at  an  early  stage  in  the  journey.  Understand, 
we  were  not  afraid.  I  named  my  pony  "  Deliberation ;"  the 
name  seemed  so  appropriate — no  pomp  or  circumstance 


144  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

about  him — and  he  was  so  gentle  and  tranquil ;  nothing 
seemed  to  flurry  him.  You  could  throw  the  reins  on  his  neck 
and  strike  a  match  on  the  pommel  of  the  saddle.  I  say  you 
couli  do  this,  but  the  after  fate  of  that  match  would  be  of  110 
moment  to  you  ;  you  would  be  otherwise  engaged,  i  regret 
to  say  that  I  tried  the  experiment.  I  lighted  a  match— at 
least  I  think  I  did— but  there  was  a  haziness  about  the  sub- 
sequent proceedings  that  prevents  accuracy  of  statement.  I 
distinctly  remember  striking  the  match.  At  that  moment, 
however,  I  was  fluently  propelled  upward ;  a  tornado  caught 
me — whirled  me  around  eleven  times.  As  I  came  down  a 
pile-driver  drove  me  in  the  stomach,  and  I  came  to  earth 
with  that  sensation  (on !y  intensified)  that  a  man  feels  who 
sits  down  in  what  he  imagines  to  be  a  high  chair,  and  which 
he  afterward  thinks  was  about  seven  feet  lower  than  his  esti- 
mate. I  sacv  whole  milky  ways  of  constellations  that  never 
before  existed.  I  realized  for  the  lirst  time  the  dense  solidity 
of  the  earth,  and  made  the  astonishing  «iiscovery  that  under 
certain  circumstances  our  planet,  instead  of  revolving  on  its 
own  axis  once  in  every  twenty-four  hours*  can  rush  around 
at  the  rate  of  at  least  one  hundred  revolutions  a  minute. 
There  is  not  in  the  whole  range  of  languages,  ancient,  mod- 
ern, or  profane,  terms  sufficiently  expressive  to  describe  the 
state  of  my  fellings,  the  amount  of  mud  on  my  persjn,  or  the 
chaotic  condition  of  my  brain.  As  soon  as  the  eartn  settled 
down  to  the  usual  speed  of  her  diurnal  motion,  I  came  to  the 
conclusion  that  it  was  not  always  best  to  judge  by  appear- 
ances. I  had  been  hasty  in  bestowing  a  distinctive  'cogno- 
men on  ray  erratic  steed.  He  had  no  more  deliberation  in 
him  than  has  a  fugitive  flea  under  the  searching  scrutiny  of 
a  determined  woman.  I  re-named  him.  This  time  I  called 
him  "  De  ay,"  because  delay  is — but  it  does  not  matter. 

Come  to  think  of  it  since,  the  reason  was  weak.  If,  how- 
ever, the  reader  shou'd  pierce  the  intricate  labyrinth  of  men- 
tal ingenuity  that  constitutes  the  conundrum,  I  trust  he  will 
be  charitable  enough  to  consider  the  circumstances  connected 
with  its  perpetration. 

There  are  times  that  try  men's  souls.  There  are  seasons 
in  every  good  man's  life  when  lie  wishes  he  was  not  a  church 
member  for  j  ust  about  five  minutes,  that  he  might  have  a 
chance  to  do  justice  to  the  surroundings.  Such  to  me  was  the 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  145 

trying  moment  wlion  I  gathered  my  bruised  remains  together 
nnd,  looking  around,  saw  the  festive  "  Delay"  quietly  eating 
grass,  while  a  little  distance  off  sat  the  doctor  on  his  pony 
complacently  whistling,  "  Earth  hath  no  sorrow  that  Heaven 
can  not  heal." 


COW-BOYS,  AND  SOME  OF   THE  DIFFICULTIES  OF  HERDING. 

To  overlook  the  mention  of  the  closest  neighbors  of  the 
red-skins — the  cow-boys— in  this  volume  would  appear  like 
a  misdemeanor.  No  better  description  of  the  men  and  their 
dangerous  work  can  be  given  than  that  found  in  TFiMv.s' 
Spirit,  written  by  one  of  them,  Mr.  J.  B.  Omohundoo  (Texas 
Jack  : 

The  cow-boy !  How  often  spoken  of,  how  falsely  imag- 
ined, how  greatly  despised  (where  not  known),  how  little  un- 
derstood! How  sneeringly  referred  to,  and  how  little  ap- 
preciated, although  his  title  has  been  gained  by  the  posses- 
sion of  many  of  the  noblest  qualities  that  form  the  romantic 
hero  of  the  poet,  novelist,  and  historian  ;  the  plainsman  and 
the  scout.  What  a  school  it  has  been  for  the  latter !  As 
"  tall  oaks  from  little  acorns  grow,"  the  cowboy  serves'a 
purpose,  and  often  develops  into  the  most  celebrated  ranch- 
man, guide,  cattle-king,  Indian-fighter,  and  dashing  ranger. 
How  old  Sam  Houston  loved  them,  how  the  Mexicans  hated 
them,  how  Davy  Crockett  admired  them,  how  the  Ca- 
manches  feared  them,  and  how  much  you  'beef-eaters'  of  the 
rest  of  the  country  o\<  e  to  them,  i*  a  large-sized  conundrum. 

As  the  rebellious  kid  of  olden  times  filled  a  handkerchief 
(always  a  handkerchief,  I- believe)  with  his  all,  and  followed 
the  trail  of  his  idol,  Columbus,  and  became  a  sailor  bold,  the 
more  ambitious  and  adventurous  youngster  of  later  days 
freezes  on  to  a  double  barreled- pistol  and  steers  for  the  bald 
prairie  to  seek  fortune  and  experience.  .If  he  don't  get  his 
system  full  it  g  only  because  the  young  man  weakens,  takes 
a  back  seat,  or  fails  to  become  a  Texas  cow-boy.  As  there 
are  generally  openings,  lively  young  fellows  can  enter,  and 
not  fail  to  be  put  through.  If  he  is  a  stayer,  youth  and  size 
will  be  no  disadvantage  for  his  start  in,  as  certain  lines  of 
the  business  are  peculiarly  adapted  to  the  light  young  horse- 


146  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

** 

men,  and  such  are  highly  esteemed  when  they  become 
oughbreds,  and  fully  possessed  of  "  cow  sense." 

Now  "  cow  sense"  in  Texas  implies  a  thorough  knowledge 
of  the  business,  and  a  natural  instinct  to  divine  every 
thought,  trick,  intention,  waut,  habit,  or  desire  of  his  drove, 
under  any  and  all  circumstances.  A  man  might  be  brought 
up  in  the  states  swinging  to  a  cow's  tail,  yet,  taken  to  Texas, 
would  be  as  useless  as  a  last  year's  bird's  nest  with  the  bot- 
tom punched  out.  The  boys  grow  old  soon,  and  the  old  cat- 
tle men  seem  to  grow  young ;  thus  it  is  that  the  name  is  ap- 
plied to  all  who  follow  the  trade.  The  boys  are  divided  into 
range-workers  and  branders,  road  drivers  and  herders,  trail- 
guides  and  bosses. 

As  the  railroads  have  now  put  an  end  to  the  old-time 
trips,  I  will  have  to  go  back  a  few  years  to  give  a  proper  es- 
timate of  the  duties  and  dangers,  delights  and  joys,  trials 
and  troubles,  when  off  the  ranch.  The  ranch  itself  &nd  the 
cattle  trade  in  the  state  still  flourish  in  their  old-time  glory, 
but  are  being  slowly  encroached  upon  by  the  modern  im- 
provements  that  will,  in  course  of  time,  wipe  out  the  neces- 
sity of  his  day,  the  typical  subject  of  this  sketch.  Before  be- 
ing counted  in  and  fully  indorsed,  the  candidate  has  had  to 
become  an  expert  horseman,  und  test  the  many  eccentricities 
of  the  stubborn  mustang;  enjoy  tho  beauties,  learn  to  catch* 
throw  and  ride  the  "docile"  little  Spanish  American  plug, 
an  amusing  experience  in  itself,  in,  which  you  are  taught  all 
the  mysteries  of  rear  and  tear,  stop  and  drop,  lay  and  roll, 
kick  and  bite,  on  and  off,  under  and  over,  heads  and  taileJ, 
hand  springs,  triple  somersaults,  standing  on  your  head, 
diving,  flip-flaps,  getting  left  (horse  leaving  you  15  miles 
from  camp — Indians  in  the  neighborhood,  etc.),  and  all  the 
funny  business  included  in  the  familiar  term  of  "  bucking," 
then  learn  to  handle  a  rope,  catch  a  calf,  stop  a,  crazy  cow, 
throw  a  beef  steer,  play  with  a  wild  bull,  lasso  an  untamed 
mustang,  and  daily  endure  the  dangers  of  a  Spanish  matador, 
with  a  little  Indian  scrape  thrown  in,  and  if  there  is  anything 
left  of  you  the}7'!!  christen  it  a  first-class  cow-boy.  Now  his 
troubles  begin, 

I  will  simply  give  a  few  incidents  of  a  trip  over  the  plains 
to  the  cattle  markets  of  the  North,  through  the  wild  and  un- 
settled portions  of  the  Territories,  varying  in  distance  from 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  147 

fifteen  hun  hed  to  two  thousand  in  lies — time,  three  to  six 
•xteudiag  through  the  Indian  Territory  and  Kansas 
•raska,  Colorado,   Dakota,   Montana,   Idaho,   Nevada 
and  s  •  .  L*  as  ( 'alifornin-.    Immense  herds,  as  high 

iv  thousand  or  more  in  number,  are  moved  by  giugla 
owners,  but  are  driven  in  bands  of  from  one  to  three  thou- 
s-ui. I, \vhi3h,  whon  under  way,are  designated  '•  herds."    Each 
cf  these  has  from  ten  to  fifteen  men,    with  a  wagon  driver 
and  cock,  and  tho  ;i  kingpin  of  the  outfit,"  the  boss,   with  a 
nupply  of  two  or  three  ponies  to  a  man,  an  ox-team,  and  blank- 
J  and  corn  meal — the  staple  food    They 
with   mavericks  or  "doubtless-owned" 
;e  fresh-iiieat  supply.     After  getting  fully  un- 
brokcn  in,  from  ten  to  fifteen  miles  a 
'go,  and  everything  is  plain  sailing  in  fair 
: light  comes  on,  the  cattle  are  rounded  up  in  a 
•);is3,  and  held  until  they  lie  down,  when  two   men 
.'r.ou  watch,  riding  round  and  round  them  in  opposite 
directions,  singing  or  whistling  all  the  time,  for  two   hours, 
that  being  the  length  of  each  watch.    The  singing  is  abso- 
necessary,  as  it  seems  to  soothe  the  fears  of  the  cattle, 
scares  away  the  wolves  or  other  varmints  that  may  be  prowl- 
ing around,  and  prevents  them  from  hearing  any  other  acci- 
lental  sound,  or  dreaming  of  their  old  homes,  and  if  stopped, 
would,  in  all  probability,  bo  the  signal  for  a  stampede.    So 
ilia  cow-boy  bawls  out  lines  of  his  own  composition : 

Lay  nlc-A-ly  uo\v.  cattle,  don't  heed  any  rattle, 

BIK  quietly  rest  until  moru; 
For  if  you  .skedaddle,  we'll  jump  in  the  saddle, 

And  head  you  a$  i.iorn. 

But  on  nights  when  "Old  Prcb  "  goes  on  a  spree,  leaves  the 
tung  out  of  his  water- 1.  >und  with  his 

hash-box,  raising  a  breeze,  e,s  of  thunder, 

and  the  cow-boy's  voice  rest  of  the  outfit,  is  drowned 

out — steer  clear,  and  prepare  i»r  {i«"ii<;u.  If  the  quadru- 
peds don't  go  insane,  turn  ta.il  to  the  storm,  and  strike  out 
(or  civil  and  religious  ill  1  >n't  know  what "  strike 

uut"  means.  Ordinarily  s>  cl-rav  an  1  stupid -looking,  a 
thousand  beef  steers  can  riso  like  a  flock  of  quail  on  the  roof 
of  an  exploding  po  :  scud  away  like  a  tum- 

ble weed  before  a  h!  .   \vith  a  noise  like  &  receding 

Then  eo;>.  ,lic  for  the  boys! 


148 


INDIAN  MASSACRES. 


CHAPTER  XYIII. 

A  RESCUE  BY  OUSTER 'S    MEN— BRETT  A    VAN    NESSJ    NARROW    ESCAPE 
FROM  DEATH. 

THE  summer  of  1872  was  a  season  of  fearful  peril  to  the 
scattered  settlers  of  Dakota  and  Montana.  A  large  propor- 
tion of  them  were  immigrants,  ignorant  of  the  dangers  that 
surrounded  them  on  the  border,  and  knowing  nothing  of  the 
horrors  of  Indian  warfare  till  awakened  from  their  dreams 
of  peace  and  plenty  by  the  blood-curdling  war-whoops  re- 
sounding around  their  cabins. 

The  powerful  and  warlike  Sioux, 
jealous  of  the  encroachments  of 
the  whites,  angered  by  the  cheat- 
ing of  Government  agents,  and 
urged  on  by  their  own  fierce 
tempers,  donned  their  war-paint, 
many  of  the  young  braves  going 
to  join  Sitting  Bull's  camp,  while 
others  roamed  the  country  in 
bands,  committing  fearful  depre- 
dations on  defenseless  ranchmen 
and  outlying  settlements.  GEN.  CUSTER. 

General  Custer,commanding  the  Seventh  Regiment  of  Reg- 
ular Cavalry,  stationed  at  Fort  Lincoln  on  the  Missouri,  tak- 
ing six  companies  of  cavalry  supported  by  three  of  infantry, 
made  a  rapid  march  into  the  Indian  country,  to  punish  the 
marauders  and  drive  them  back  to  their  reservations. 

An  unclouded  June  sun  smiled  down  upon  this  fine  array 
of  blue  and-yellow,  halted  for  their  mid-day  rest  and  refresh- 
ment in  the  midst  of  a  vast  prairie  that,  on  three  sides, 
stretched  to  the  horizon.  In  the  northwest,  a  range  of  low 
hills  broke  its  dull  monotony.  The  summer's  heat  had  not 
yet  curled  and  shriveled  every  green  thing  as  it  does  later ; 
but  the  broad  plain  was  waving  with  grass  and  gay  with 
brilliant  flowers. 

General  Ouster  had  ridden  to  the  rear,  to  inspect,  with  his 
usual  care,  the  wagon  and  mule  trains— for  nothing  was  too 
insignificant  for  his  notice  that  concerned  the  eomfort  of  his 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  H9 

men.  Close  behind  him,  almost  as  well  mounted  as  himself, 
pressed  the  orderly  who  had  just  dashed  down  to  him  from 
the  head  of  the  column. 

Reining-in  his  fiery  steed  at  the  head  of  his  command,  the 
general  was  quickly  surrounded  by  a  mingled  mass  of  officers 
and  orderlies. 

"  Runners  in  our  front,"  said  Captain  Custer,  handing  him 
a  powerful  field-glass. 

"  Yes,"  replied  the  general,  after  a  long  and  earnest  sur- 
vey, "  they  are  scouts,  and  the  running  of  the  first  is  like  the 
running  of  Bloody  Knife.  He  comes,  no  doubt,  with  im- 
portant information." 

"  What  horsemen  are  those  just  rising  the  crest  of  the 
divide  ?  "  eagerly  inquired  the  captain.  "  A  pursuit  ?  " 

"  I  think  not,"  replied  the  general,  after  a  searching  gaze. 
"  There  are  but  two  riders,  and  one  looks  more  like  a  squaw 
than  a  warrior." 

"  Possibly  it's  a  decoy,"  suggested  an  officer, "  and  a  larger 
body  of  the  enemy  may  be  on  the  other  side  of  the  divide." 

"  They  ride,"  replied  Custer,  "  as  though  they  themselves 
were  pursued.  I  do  not  think  the  enemy  would  dare  attack 
us  on  the  open  plain,  even  with  greatly  superior  numbers ; 
however,  it  will  do  no  harm  to  be  ready  either  to  march  or  to 
fight."  And,  in  a  clear  ringing  tone,  he  shouted :  "  Bugler, 
sound  '  boots  and  saddles' !  " 

With  the  first  notes  of  that  stirring  call,  the  men  sprang  to 
their  feet,  thrusting  half-eaten  rations  into  their  haversacks, 
and,  almost  as  quickly  as  one  can  tell  it,  were  in  their  sad- 
dles, presenting,  to  the  quick  eye  of  the  general,  long  lines 
of  erect  soldierly  figures  curbing  their  restive  horses  with 
steady  hands.  Nearer  and  nearer  came  the  Indian  runners. 
With  characteristic  impatience,  he  galloped  forward  to  meet 
them,  followed  by  his  orderly  and  a  few  officers. 

"  flow!  "  said  the  general,  as  his  favorite  scout  reached 
his  side ;  "  what  news,  Bloody  Knife  ?  " 

In  terse  Indian  language,  the  scout  told  him  that  he  had 
crossed  the  trails  of  numerous  hostile  bands  of  Sioux;  and 
that,  after  many  successful  attacks  upon  the  whites,  they 
were  concentrating  on  the  Tongue  river,  loaded  with  plunder 
and  bringing  scores  of  captives. 

"Who  are  those  that  follosv  you?"  asked  the  general, 


150  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

pointing  toward  the  mysterious  travc  the  foot  ot 

the  hills  and  ju-t  entering  upon  the  plain. 

Waving  the  proffered  glass  aside,  the  Indian  fixed  his  keen 
ayes,  shaded  by  one  brown  hand,  on  the  advancing  party. 

"  -Palefaces,"  said  Ire,   sententiously :  "one    squav;,    ; .,  . 
papoose;  white  man,  arm  hurt;  carries  gun  across  h- 
neck;  looks  back  every  step— thinks  ,/ioux  on  every  side.'' 

"  That  is  true,"  said  the  captain,  who  had  been  studying 
them  closely.  "  They  are  escaped  prisoners  or  refugees,  in 
momentary  danger  of  being  scalped." 

"  Go  back,'3  said  the  general,  turning  to  an  orderly,  "  and 
order  the  troops  forward.  Send  an  ambui;  i  all  spceu. 

Take  horses,  and  don't  spare  them.5; 

Away  flew  the  orderly,  and  the  party  rode  forward  to  most 
the  approaching  strangers. 

On  dashed  the  cavalcade,  8 

what  the  Indian  had  described  at  a.  much  greater  distance 
that  the  foremost  rider  was  a  woma  ;   mounted  oa  a  large 
gray  horse.    In  her  arms,  she  bore  an  infant;  astride  the 
noise's  neck  rode  a  boy  of  five ;  while,  at  .  a  girl  oi 

ten  clung  trembling  to  her  mother.    Belli 
horse,  came  the  father,  one  arm  in  a  sling  ;u.d.  bis 
his  horse's  neck,  as  the  scout  had  said. 

All  were  fair-haired  and  blue-eyed— unmistakably  Ge: 
Tears  of  joy  ran  down  their  pale  faces  at  the  Big -it  of  their 
deliverers,  and  thanksgivings,  fell  from  tlieir  lips.. 

Tenderly  the  kind-hearted  officers  lifted  the  mother  and 
her  tired  children  to  the  ground,  while  the  general  warmly 
extended  his  hand  to  the  father,  who,  as  he  approached,  re- 
spectfully gave  the  military  salute. 

At  Ui-i  side,  the  man  wore  an  old  cavalry  sabre  : 
was  soaked  with  blood  from  his  wounded  shoulder;  . 
his  head  was  tied  a  handkerchief,  also  blood-stained  ;  cacl  a 
rivulet  of  blood  coursing  down  his  sunburned  cheek  showed 
the  wound  was  severe*    Under  his  shaggy  eyebrows  shoi.o 
wide-open  fearless  blue  eyes— while,  i  of  his  wounds 

digue,  he  bore  himself  with  a  soldierly  air  that  at  once. 
took  the  eye  of  the  general. 

"  Youhave  been  attacked  by  Indians,"  said  Ouster.  "  When, 
did  it  happen -and  where  ?  " 

':  Ye  iiaf  lifed,''  replieJ  the  man,  ;-  at  3uld  Butte — how  var 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  1§1 

from  here,  I  cannot  tell.  Ve  haf  tree  neighbors— all  Ger- 
man. The  night  before  last,  mine  leetle  girl  Bretta  had.  gone 
to  sp)  end  der  eben,ing  mit  dem,  ven,  all  at  vonce,  ve  hear 
dreadful  yells  uncl  screams— our  neighbors'  houses  all  one 
blaze.  We  haf  no  light— trees  all  around  ;  dey  no  see  us  at 
first.  Ve  saddle  our  horses  in  der  dark,  und  shtart  to  run 
avay ;  ve  not  go  var  vhen  a  big  Indian  rose  up  before  us  und 
fire  upon  me. 

"  Kee,"  he  said,  pushing  back  his  gray  flannel  shirt  and 
showing  his  shoulder,  closely  bound  with  bloody  cloths  evi- 
dently torn  from  their  clothing.  "  Uen  he  dhry  pull  me  off 
mine  horse ;  ve  fight ;  mine  horse  shy  vone  side.  Pen  I  hit 
him  mit  mine  old  sabre  dot  I  carry  in  der  vhars  long  ago; 
he  lay  down  in  der  road  und  not  vant  to  fight  any  more." 

"  You  have  been  a  soldier,  then  ?  "  said  Ouster,  with  inter- 
est. 

"  Yaw;  ich  vas  at  Sadowa,  und  ich  von  dis,"  replied  he, 
showing,  on  his  broad  sunburnt  breast,  a  small  steel  cross 
suspended  from  his  neck  by  a  silver  chain.  "  Our  goot  em- 
peror gif  it  me  mit  his  own  hand.  Ich  tired  of  vhars ;  I  dake 
mine  leetle  vamily  und  come  here .  I  know  netting  about 
Indians.  A  gent  say:  'All  right;  soldiers  all  around— dey 
take  care  ob  you.'  But  ah!  Gott  in  Himmel!  mine  leetle 
Bretta — mine  leetle  girl!  "  and  the  father's  grief  burst  forth 
afresh. 

"  What  is  your  name  ? "  asked  a  young  orderly,  riding 
close  to  the  German  and  gazing  eagerly  in  his  face. 

"  Van  Ness,  sir." 

"  And  is  Bretta  Van  Ness  your  daughter  ?  " 

"  She  is,  sir— nrne  own  dear  leetle  girl." 

"  What  of  her  ?  Where  is  she?"  asked  the  young  man, 
the  blood  receding  from  his  cheek,  and  his  eye  growing  dark 
and  stern. 

"  I  haf  every  reason  to  believe  she  is  a  prisoner  in  der 
hands  of  d^r  savages,"  replied  the  striken  father. 

"  How  do  you  know  that  she  is  a  prisoner?  "  again  ques- 
tioned the  young  soldier. 

'•  I  vhas  slatandin'  in  mine  door,  vhen  I  hear  her  cry 
•Fade,-!  fader !'  und  scream.  I  hid  mine  schHdrea  in  der 
tmsh,  und,  vhen  der  Indians  gone,  I  creep  back  to  vind  her. 
All  mine  neighbors  dead  every  one— Bretta  aot  dere." 


152  INDIAN    MASSACRES. 

Leaning  his  head  on  his  hand,  supported  by  his  gun-barrel, 
he  sobbed  as  only  a  man  overwhelmed  by  sorrow  can,  while 
the  lo  v  weeping  of  the  mother  mingled  with  the  wails  of  her 
infant,  as  she  in  vain  tried  to  soothe  it. 

"  General/'  said  the  orderly,  turning  to  that  officer,  "  with 
your  permission,  I  will  go  in  search  of  this  man's  daughter, 
and  sni  ten  her  from  her  captors,  or  perish  in  so  doing." 

A  look  of  wonder  overspread  the  faces  of  that  circle,  as 
they  noted  the  deep  intensity  of  his  tones,  the  tight-drawn 
lips,  and  the  pallor  of  his  face,  that  showed  even  through  its 
deep  bronzing. 

"Where  had  he  seen  Bretta  Van  Ness,  and  why  did  her 
fate  move  him  so  deeply  ?  "  was  the  wonderiog  comment  of 
his  fellow- soldiers. 

"  It  would  be  madness,"  said  Ouster,  after  a  prolonged 
pause,  during  which  time  he  keenly  eyed  the  young  soldier ; 
"  sheer  madness!  Why,  man,  your  life  would  not  be  worth 
a  straw,  a  mile  from  the  column ;  the  creeping  savages  would 
pick  you  off  in  no  time.  Better  leave  it  to  the  movements  of 
the  regiment  to  bring  them  to  terms.  Beside,  this  band 
have  probably  retreated  to  their  village  or  joined  the  main 
body  of  the  enemy,  and  pursuit  would  be  worse  than  use- 
less!" 

"  The  greater  need,  then,"  replied  the  brave  fellow,  "  that 
Brefta's  friends  stir  themselves  in  her  behalf.  If  they  can- 
not save  her  a  bullet  through  her  heart  will  put  her  beyond 
the  reach  of  those  incarnate  fiends." 

The  brave  and  generous  Ouster  strongly  felt  the  force  of 
these  words.  He  shuddered  at  the  horrors  confronting  this 
fair  young  girl,  but  keenly  alive  to  the  perils  incurred  by  her 
would  be  deliverer. 

"  I  will  go  with  him,  general,  if  I  can  be  spared  from  the 
service,"  said  a  young  man  who  now  stepped  forward.  "  I 
know  this  country  very  well— was  through  here  when  looking 
for  the  hostile  camp.  I  think  I  know  where  those  German 
families  lived,  and  believe  I  can  strike  the  trail  of  this  band 
within  twelve  hours." 

"  But,  Reynolds,"  said  Ouster,  "  it  is  extremely  perilous!  *' 

*'  1  know  all  the  chances  for  and  against,"  returned  the 
scout,  "  and  am  willing  to  take  them." 

"Thank  you,  and  God  bless  you!"   exclaimed  Kurland. 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  153 

warmly  clasping  the  hand  of  this  bravest  of  brave    men. 

li  Well,"  said  the  general,  springing  lightly  to  the  ground, 
*'  since  you  are  bound  to  go,  I  wish  you  to  have  every  ad- 
vantage that  can  be  given  you.  I  cannot  spare  a  detachment 
—but  here,  Harland,  you  must  take  my  horse.  Vic  '11  bring 
you  through  if  any  horse  can.  She's  a  Kentucky  thorough, 
bred,  and  there's  net  her  match  on  the  plains  for  speed  or 
endurance." 

"  Unless  it  is  mine,"  said  Captain  Ouster,  "  and  Reynolds 
can  have  him." 

Both  men  protested  against  taking  their  officers'  horses, 
saying  they  would  be  needed  in  the  coming  campaign  ;  but 
the  general  declared  "  they  had  good  enough  horses  in 
reserve,  as  they  did  not  anticipate  the  necessity  of  running 
away  from  the  Indians,  and,  if  Reynolds'  theory  was  correct, 
they  would  be  back  before  a  blow  could  be  struck  at  the  en- 
emy." 

Still  urged  by  their  commander  to  lose  no  more  time  in 
vain  protests,  they  sprang  into  their  saddles,  and,  bidding 
the  German  mother— who,  with  her  children  and  wounded 
husband,  had  been  tenderly  placed  in  an  ambulance— a  hasty 
farewell,  dashed  off  across  the  plain. 

"  Go  back,  Blucher!  go  back !"  shouted  Harland,  as  the 
general's  great  stag-hound  bounded  along  by  his  side.  But 
Blucher  had  no  idea  of  returning  to  headquarters  for  his 
conge,  and  kept  steadily  on,  only  falling  far  enough  to  the 
rear  to  be  out  of  reach  of  any  missile  that  might  be  thrown 
at  him. 

"  Let  him  go, "  at  length  said  the  scout.  "  There  is  a  great 
affection  between  him  and  the  horse  you  ride ;  he  goes  where 
she  goes,  and  sleeps  by  her  side  at  night.  He  has  a  keen  nose 
for  the  trail,  too,  and  never  gives  tongue  following  it." 

"  If  we're  lucky  enough  to  find  the  redskins,he  might  help 
us  out  in  a  '  hand  to  hand,'  you  know ;  he  has  scars  enough 
to  prove  him  a  gaod  fighter.  Come  on,  old  dog!  " 

In  his  delight  at  being  permitted  to  .go,  the  dog  fairly 
bounded  over  the  horse,  and  jumped  barking  at  her  nose, 
while  she  whinnied  and  playfully  struck  at  him  with  her 
forefeet. 

On  the  crest  of  the  divide,  the  soldiers  paused,  waved  a 
last  adieu  to  their  comrades,  took  a  last  look  at  the  old  flag 


154 

they  might  never  see  again,  and  then  plunged  down  through- 
chaparral  and  cactus  to  the  plain  below. 

It  was  an  easy  matter  to  fallow  the  broad  trail  made  by  the 
flying  family,  and,  no  signs  of  Indians  appearing,  they  trav- 
eled at  a  good  rate  of  speed,  and,  late  in  the  afternoon,  drew 
rein  on  the  top  of  the  next  divide  and  looked  down  on  an- 
other^kst  plain,  through  which  .a  sluggish  stream  crept  to 
mingle  its  waters  with  the  far  distant  Missouri. 

To  the  \voet  lay  the  great  butte  country,  which,  the  scout 
said,  "  was  filled  with  narrow  and  deep  gulches,  where  the 
Indians  could  ihul  a  him  'red  secure  hiding-places;  and  be- 
yond, where  the  mountains  were  purpling  in  the  setting  sun, 
Sitting  Bull  was  thought  to  have  his  camp." 

"  Do  you  see  that  film  of  gray  smoke  rising  against  the 
dark  line  of  trees  far  in  our  front?  That,"  said  Reynolds, 
"  probably  marks  the  scene  of  one  of  their  last  attacks ;  now, 
by  diverging  from  thi's  trail  and  striking  diagonally  "across 
the  prairie  to  where  those  cotton  woods  outline  the  river's 
banks,  we  shall  probably  find  their  trail.  I  only  hope  there'll 
be  daylight  enough  left  to  see  it  before  v  e  camp/' 

An  hour  s  hard  riding,  and  they  reached  the  first  of  the 
sentinel-like  cottonwood-trees,  and,  as  they  plunged  deeper 
and  deeper  into  their  shade,  they  began  to  look  careful! y  for 
Indian  signs.  Both  men  had  dismounted  and  .were  closely 
scrutinizing  each  leaf  and  blade  of  grass,  wheiJa  deep  growl 
from  the  dog  caused  them  to  look  up.  A  snort  distance 
ahead  of  them  stood  an  Indian,  his  gun  reversed  and  his 
hand  raised  in  token  of  peace. 

With  a  savage  snarl,  Blucher  sprang  at  his  throat.  By  a 
dextrous  movement,  the  } 'ndian  caught  him  under  the  jaw, 
and,  the  next  moment,  the  dog  crouched  at  his  feet,  licking 
his  moccasins  and  whining  softly. 

"  Bloody  Knife,  by  all  that's  good!  " cried  the  scout.  And, 
springing  forward,  each  grasped  a  hand  of  the  friendly  sav- 
age. 

"  Ouches  tell-a-me  come,''  said  Bloody  Knife,  and  then,  in 
his  own  tongue,  which  "Keynolds  understood,  informed  them 
h«  had  taken  an  Indian  pony  recently  captured,  and,  follow- 
ing a  more  direct  route  where  h@  found  good  traveling, 
he  had  reached  the  river  before  them.  "  And  here,"  said  he, 
"is  the  trail." 


156  INDIAN   MASSACRES. 

A  few  feet  from  where  they  were  standing,  the  earth  showed 
unmistakable  signs  of  a  party  of  about  twenty  having  passed, 
but  no  trace  of  the  captive  girl.  In  one  place,  the  trail  dipped 
down  to  the  river,  showing  the  Indians  had  stopped  for 
water ;  and  their  own  horses,  being  sadly  in  need  of  similar 
refreshment,  were  led  by  the  scout  to  the  river's  edge  and 
drank  deeply  of  its  yellow  tide.  Meanwhile,  Harland  and  the 
Indian  followed  along  the  trail,  unwilling  to  lose  a  moment 
of  daylight.  A  few  rods  brought  them  to  a  large  sycamore- 
tree  with  wide-spreading  branches.  Here  the  short  grass 
was  much  trampled,  and  the  remains  of  a  fire  showed  food 
had  been  prepared. 

Bloody  Knife  next  turned  his  keen  eyes  on  the  massive 
trunk. 

"  See,"  whispered  he ;  "  paleface  stand  here." 

On  one  side,  the  grass  was  much  trodden,  and,  following 
the  movement  of  the  dusky  finger,  Harland  saw  the  bark  was 
broken  and  worn,  as  by  a  rope  or  lariat  bound  tightly  around 
it. 

"  And  see,"  he  cried:  "  here  are  gashes  made  by  hatchets! 
My  God !  the  red  devils  have  amused  themselves  by  throw- 
ing their  tomahawks  at  her  golden  head !  What  has  she  not 
suffered?" 

He  turned  away,  to  hide  the  emotion  that  almost  overpow- 
ered him  at  this  proof  of  their  barbarous  treatment. 

A  guttural  ejaculation  from  the  Indian  caused  him  to  turn 
back  quickly,  to  see  him  deftly  untangling  from  the  rough 
bark  a  thread  of  long  yellow  hair. 

"  Thank  God  for  that!  "  said  Reynolds,  coming  up  at  that 
moment  with  the  horses.  "  We  will  yet  save  her." 

"  God  willing!  "  added  Harland,  with  a  deep-drawn 
breath. 

The  last  gleam  of  daylight  had  now  faded  from  the  western 
sky,  and  the  shadows  of  the  great  buttes,  falling  across  their 
path,  deepened  and  intensified  the  gloom  till  the  keen  eyes 
of  the  Indian  could  no  longer  see  the  trail.  Still  he  pressed 
on  with  stealthy  steps,  his  attentive  ear  analyzing  even  the 
cries  of  the  night-birds  and  the  far-off  howls  of  some  wild  an- 
imal, pausing  till  he  made  sure  it  was  what  it  seemed  to  be. 

For  a  mile  or  more,  they  pushed  on  in  this  manner,  when 
suddenly  the  Indian,  rising  from  a  listening  posture— his  ear 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  1 57 

to  the  giound— drew  his  pony  one  side  and  directed  the  oth- 
ers to  do  the  same. 

To  a  whispered  "What  is  it  ? "  he  simply  answered :  "Sioux 
— sh!" 

They  had  barely  quieted  their  horses,  when  their  strained 
ears  caught  the  click  of  a  pony's  hoof  striking  against  a 
stone.  Each  scout,  taking  his  horse  firmly  by  the  bits,  pat- 
ted and  smoothed  his  nose  to  keep  him  from  neighing  at  tl  « 
presence  of  other  horses. 

Presently,  a  bulky  shape  showed  in  the  darkness,  then 
another  and  another,  till  seven  warriors  had  filed  along  past 
them,  so  near  that  they  could  have  touched  them  with  their 
rifles.  Blucher's  body  trembled  with  rage,  and  the  first  note 
of  a  deep  growl  rumbled  in  his  capacious  throat ;  but  a  vig- 
orous kick  in  the  side  from  the  scout's  foot  stopped  his  growl, 
and  breath  too,  for  a  time.  After  the  file  of  warriors  came 
their  ponies,  bearing  heavy  loads  that  crashed  through  the 
bushes  on  either  hand — game, it  was  afterward  known  to  have 
been.  Silent  as  statues  stood  horses  and  men,  till  the  last 
footfall  had  died  away — then  the  Indian,  dropping  on  the 
ground,  remained  long  in  a  listening  attitude.  Starting  to 
his  feet,  he  pushed  rapidly  forward,  followed  by  the  others. 
They  had  covered  another  mile  in  this  way,  when,  turning 
sharply  to  their  left,  he  led  them  deep  into  the  bushes  and 
halted  at  the  foot  of  a  huge  rock.  With  the  muttered  word 
"  Reconnoitre,''  he  was  gone. 

Long  they  waited,  till  dark  thoughts  of  possible  treachery 
began  to  fill  their  minds— waited  till  the  tired  horses  noisily 
champed  their  bits  and  stepped  about  on  the  uneven  ground. 
They  had  drawn  close  together,  in  order  to  consult  in  regard 
to  the  advisability  of  going  on  without  him,  when,  like  a 
shadow  of  the  night,  he  rose  at  their  side. 

"  Come,"  he  whispered ;  "  leave  horses  and  come." 

The  animals  were  tethered,  and  the  dog  ordered  to  stay 
and  watch  them.  After  a  sharp  scramble  up  what  seemed  a 
rough  mountain  side,  they  found  themselves  at  the  top  of  a 
high  bluff  overlooking  a  long  narrow  valley.  Carefully  part- 
ing the  bushes  that  fringed  its  edge,  a  wild  scene  burst  upon 
their  startle.!  vision  :  At  the  farther  end  of  the  glade,  a  large 
fire  was  burning,  lighting  up  with  fitful  gleams  and  flashes 
the  rugged  faces  of  the  rocks  that  hemmed  in  the  little  val- 


158  INDIAN   MASSACRES. 

ley  on  throe  sides,  an.l  bringing  into  red  relief  the  trunks  of 
forest- trew  that,  oa  its  farther  edge,  seemed  crowding  upou 
the  plain  like  th«  rank?  of  »u  advancing  army.  Around  the 
fire,  several  squaws  \vere  grouped,  broiling  venison  for  their 
masters'  suppers.  A  few  rods  away  and  nearer  I  T  of 

the  opening,  a  tali  post  had  been  set  in  the  ground,  :.iud  to 
iJ'.,  bound  hand  and  foot,  was  their  prisoner,  the  girl  they 
v.ere  seeking. 

Around  her  circled  in  a  wild  dance  twenty  or  more  war- 
riors, singing  a  monotonous  chant,  to  which  they  stamped 
and  gestured,  occasionally  breaking  into  a  whoop,  and  brand- 
ishing their  tomahawks  and  knives  close  to  her  head.  So 
still  she  stood— or  rather  hung,  for  she  drooped  heavily  on 
the  thongs  that  bound  her  arms  -that  the  scouts  thought  her 
already  dead.  :'ut  suddenly  a  squaw,  becoming  excited  by 
their  wild  dancing,  seized  a  burning  fagot  from  the  fire  and, 
rushin ;  into  the  circle  of  warriors,  applied  it  to  her  bare 
shoulders.  A  piercing  scream  rose  on  the  air,  and  the 
:7hoops  and  yells  of  the  fiendish  crew  were  redoubled,  while 
*iie  squaw  circled  round  and  round  in  the  dance,  touching 
the  shrinking  flesh  of  the  poor  girl  as  long  as  the  brand  con- 
linued  burning. 

When  they  ceased  their  gyrations,  two  warriors  stepped 
forward  and  began  to  untie  the  hard  knotted  thongs  that 
bound  her  to  the  stake.  Again  a  scream  of  mortal  terror 
pierced  the  night.  Instantly  the  scouts  brought  their  rifles 
to  their  shoulders,  and  two  locks  simultaneously  clicked. 

"  Not  yet,"  said  Reynolds ;  "  when  we  do  fire,  you  aim  at 
her  head,  and  I  at  her  heart." 

A  deep  groan  answered  him. 

Released  from  her  bonds,  sne  dropped  helplessly  at  their 
feet,  for  she  neither  moved  nor  stirred.  To  their  intense  re- 
lief, the  squaws  now  left  the  fire,  mingled  with  the  men,  and 
proceeded  to  tie  her  hands  and  feet,  while  her  body  was 
again  securely  bound  to  the  stake.  The  men,  gathering 
around  ^e  fire,  greedily  devoured  the  food  prepared  for  them, 
washing  it  down  with  copious  draughts  of  "  fire-water,"  of 
which  they  seemed  to  have  a  plentiful  supply.  Their  meal 
finished,  they  rolled  themselves  in  their  blankets  and  lay 
down  about  the  fire,  their  heads  to  the  blaz©  and  their  feet 
outward,  <)r\<$  big  warrior,  striding  to  the  edge  of  the  woods, 


KES.  Io9 

s*t  down,  Mi*  bi^k  to  a  tree,  his  gun  across  his  lap,  as  senti- 
nel, whik>th&  squ&ws,  bringing  two  long  poles,  laid  them 
across  th^  body  ot  their  prisoner  and  lay  down  in  a  circle 
around  her,  disposiog  themselves  in  such  a  manner  that  a 
squaw  lay  on  each  end  of  the  poles. 

"That  is  hopeful,"  whispered  Reynolds ;  "  if  they  thought 
there  was  the  least  danger  of  an  attack,  they  would  never 
leave  the  squaws  to  guard  the  prisoner,  or  go  to  sleep  in  that 
careless  manner.  It  is  evident  they  feel  perfectly  safe." 

Long  they  waited  for  sioep  to  close  every  eye  of  the  drunk- 
en crew.  At  length,  Bloody  Knife  rose  and  motioned  the 
others  to  follow.  Silent  as  shadows,  they  descended  the 
western  slope  of  the  bluff,  tjie  Indian  in  advance.  Fortu- 
nately the  wind  was  rising,  and  the  swaying  and  creaking  of 
branches  greatly  favored  theix"  movements.  Once  the  sen- 
tinel rose,  apparently  listening  jntently,  his  strong  features 
and  figure  making  a  huge  silhouette  against  the  light  of  the 
camp-fire.  At  length  he  sat  down,  drawing  his  blanket 
about  him  and  holding  his  rifle  iii  the  hollow  of  his  arm. 
Nearer  and  nearer  to  the  watchM  Sioux  crept  Bloody 
Knife,  a  long  bright  blade  in  his  hand.  The  hearts  of  the 
scouts  stood  still  when  he  was  near  enough  to  touch  the  robe 
of  this  living  statue. 

Suddenly,  without  a  cry  or  groan,  hw  fell  forward  on  his 
face  and  never  moved.  The  knife  of  hij  enemy  had  entered 
his  heart. 

For  some  moments,  Bloody  Knife  lay  m  the  shadow  of  the 
tree,  then  rising,  motioned  the  scouts  to  approach. 

"Go,"  he  said,  "  kill  squaw,  take  paleface  ;,  me  stay  here." 

With  cat-like  tread,  they  crept  around  till  they  were  exact- 
ly opposite  the  circle  of  squaws.  Then  Harland  went  boldly 
into  the  light  and  made  an  attempt  to  step  wkbin  the  narrow 
cordon,  in  order  to  cut  the  thongs  that  bound  vhe  prisoner. 
Instantly  a  squaw  sprang  up,  but,  before  she  could  utter  a 
warning  cry,  he  struck  her  a  tremendous  blow  between  the 
eyes,  that  effectually  silenced  her.  The  motion  given  to  the 
pole  by  this  action  awoke  the  squaw  on  the  opposite  side, 
who,  in  the  a^tof  springing  to  her  feet,  received  an  arrow  in 
her  throat  from  the  bow  of  Bloody  Knife,  and  fell  back  dead. 
Drawing  the  dunned  squaw  one  side,  he  knelt  boside  the 
grtrl  and  placeu  the  palm  of  his  hand  firmly  over  her  mouth. 


11)0  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

Her  large  blue  eyes  flew  open  with  a  great  horror  in  them. 
brave,''  he  whispered ;  "  we  will  save  you."    The  eyes 
closed  again,  while  tears  rolled  from  under  her  long  brown 
lashes. 

With  a  sharp  knife,  he  cut  the  thongs  about  her  wrists  and 
the  lariat  t': at  bound  her  to  the  stake.  To  get  her  feet  Tree 
without  waking  the  squaws  who  lay  on  the  ends  of  the  sec- 
ond pole  was  the  next  task.  Stepping  softly  between  them, 
he  had  almost  cut  the  cord  that  bound  her,  when  a  squaw 
sprang  up,  but  was  instantly  brained  by  a  blow  from  the  butt 
of  Reynolds'  rifle.  Harland  lifted  the  girl  from  the  ground 
and  dashed  with  her  into  the  forest  shades.  The  remaining 
squaw  sprang  up,  with  a  yell  that  caused  every  Indian  around 
the  fire  to  bound  to  his  feet  and  rush  for  his  weapons. 
Reynolds  aimed  a  blow  at  her  head,  and  an  arrow  flew  out  of 
the  darkness ;  but  it  only. pierced  her  shoulder,  causing  her  to 
utter  terrible  cries. 

The  scouts  placed  the  helpless  and  almost  unconcious  girl 
in  the  shelter  of  a  tree-trunk,   and,   dropping  on  one  knee, 
lit  their  rifles  to  their  shoulders,  to  meet  the  rush  of 
their  infuriated  enemies. 

At  that  moment,  the  report  of  a  rifle  rang  out  from  the  oth- 
er side  of  the  valley,  then  another  and  another,  and  each 
time  an  Indian  rollerl  on  the  ground.  Dazed  by  their  late 
potations  and  the  suddenness  of  the  attack,  they  appeared 
for  a  moment  bewildered,  and  then,  with  fearful  yells,  rushed 
into  the  woods  in  search  of  their  hidden  foe  and  to  gain  the 
cover  of  the  trees. 

The  howling  and  firing  receded  until  it  came  faint  and  far 
from  the  depths  of  the  forest,  and  the  scouts,  knowing -that 
Bloody  Knife,  with  his  breech-loader,  was  making  this  diver- 
sion in  their  favor,  lost  no  time  in  skirting  the  open  with 
their  precious  charge,  and  were  looking  hurriedly  for  the 
path  by  which  the  Indians  descended  to  the  plain,  when 
Bloody  Knife  Appeared,  and,  s  winging  Bretta  to  his  shoulder, 
sprang  lightly  up  the  rocks. 

In  a  few  moments,  they  ha;l  reached  their  horses,  and  the 
Indian  resigned  his  burden  to  her  lover. 

Bloody  Knife  led  the  van  of  the  little  procession,  while 
Reynolds,  calm  and  cool  as  at  the  beginning  of  the  fight, 
brought  up  the  rear,  pausing  often  to  listen  for  sounds  of 


INDIAN  i'.ES.  161 

pursuit.  Soon  the  great  tree  was  reached  that  was  fraught 
with  such  terrors  for  Bretta ;  but  they  rode  quickly  past,  and 
she  was  not  allowed  to  see  it. 

They  halted  v.  here  the  trail  led  down  to  the  river,  and  the 
horses  again  drank  their  fill  from  the  waters  now  sparkling 
in  the  light  of  the  rising  moon.  Pursuit  was  certain  in  the 
morning,  and,  in  order  to  confuse  their  foes,  they  determined 
to  follow  as  s: early  as  practicable  the  trail  made  the  preced- 
ing afternoon  by  Harland  and  the  scout. 

The  keen  eyes  of  the  Indian  soon  found  it,  and  in  a  single 
file  they  traversed  it  as  rapidly  as  the  nature  of  the  ground 
and  the  conditio  •  i  of  their  horses  would  allow.  They  traveled 
in  this  manner  till  the  moon  set,  when,  feeling  quite  secure 
from  pursuit  until  daybreak,  they  decided  to  camp  and  take 
a  fe.v  hours  of  much  needed  rest.  The  horses  were  carefulty 
picketed;  two  blankets,  raised  on  sticks  a  little  way  front  the 
ground,  made  a  shelter  for  them  all,  the  n:en  taking  turns  as 
sentinel.  Blusher  v.  >  my  for  each  in  turn,  Itad  gave 

them  a  wonderful  sense  of  security  and  companionship.  At 
the  first  faint  streak  of  daylight,  the  little  camp  was  astir;  a 
hasty  breakfast  from  their  haversacks  eaten,  a  draught  of 
river-water  from  their  canteens  drunk,  and  they  were  in 
their  saddles,  following  closely  the  trail  of  the  day  before. 

They  had  reached  the  divide,  and  the  men,  dismounted, 
were  toiling  up  the  steep  ascent,  when  a  cry  from  the  Indian 
caused  them  to  turn,  and,  to  their  horror  and  dismay,  they 
beheld  a  large  body  of  redskins,  double  the  number  they  had 
fought  the  evening  before,  coining  after  them  at  th. 

,  their  ponies  were  capable  of  making,   and  not   ;n;>ro 
than  a  mile  distant. 

At  the  top  of  the  ;:  hey   vaulted   into  their  saddios 

and  dashed  down  to  the  plain.  The  war-cries  and  howls  <>f 
their  enemies  were  plainly  heard,  and  the  horses,  scenting 
the  danger,  flew  with  the  winds.  Over  the  hill  swept  the  In- 
dians with  triumphant,  whoops,  for  tlV-'y  .deemed  th  3ir  prey 
almost  v ithin  their  grasp.  Under  r.u-urable  conditions,  the 
tv:o  thoroughbreds  could  have  easily  distanced  the  Indian 
ponies,  fleet  as  they  were ;  but  liarland  s  nobJe  animal  was 
ning  to  show  the  effect  of  her  double  weight  in  labored 
brt-athing  and  fore 

On  came  their  pursuers,  wilder  than   ever,  elated  by  the 


162  INDIAN   MASSACRES. 

slight  advantage  gained.  Reynolds  and  Bloody  Knife  turned, 
and,  without  checking  the  speed  of  their  steeds,  emptied  two 
Indian  saddles.  The  fire  was  instantly  returned,  and  I'loody 
Knife  s  pony  fell  to  the  ground,  while  Eeyuolds'  horse  got  a 
severe  wound  in  the  shoulder,  but  did  not  lessen  his  speed — 
the  scout,  placing  his  hand  on  his  companion's  saddle,  easily 
kept  alongside.  From  the  first,  they  had  kept  in  the  rear  of 
Harland  and  his  terrified  burden — who,  in  pitiful  accents, 
begged  him  to  kill  her  and  save  himself ;  but,  with  a  tight- 
ened pressure  of  his  arm,  he  told  her  he  would  live  or  die 
with  her. 

The  object  of  the  Sioux  seemed  to  be  to  take  them  all  alive, 
and,  spreading  out  over  the  prairie,  they  were  gradually 
flanking  them  on  both  sides.  Almost  in  their  course,  the  fu- 
gitives descried  a  rocky  ridge  rising  above  the  L-vel  of  the 
plain,  with  a  few  scattered  bushes  beyond.  T (linking  if  they 
could  but  gain  its  shelter  they  might  check  for  a  time  the 
advance  ^pf  their  foes,  they  strained  every  nerve  to  reach  it. 
Their  horses  were  reeking  with  foam,  and  bloody  spume- 
flakes  flew  from  their  nostrils.  They  were  within  a  few  rods 
of  this  desired  haven,  the  enemy  close  upon  their  heels,  when 
a  line  of  smoke  and  flame  burst  from  this  natural  earthwork, 
and  the  report  of  a  dozen  carbines  woke  the  echoes  of  the 
hills,  emptying  as  many  Indian  saddles.  Instantly  a  troop 
of  cavalry  poured  out  upon  the  plain,  and,  without  stopping 
to  form  a  line  of  battle,  charged  the  flying  Sioux  with  their 
war-cry  of  "Ouches!  Ouches!  "  (Ouster's  Indian  name.) 

The  tired  ponies  were  no  match  for  the  fresh  horses  of  the 
troopers,  and  their  riders  soon  abandoned  them  and  sought 
safety  in  the  tall  grass  and  sage-brush.  The  old  dog  took 
a  lively  interest  in  this  fight,  and,  wherever  the  grass 
waved  in  snaky  undulations,  there  he  flew  with  tremendous 
leaps,  his  eyes  glaring  and  foam  dripping  from  his  huge 
jaws ;  then  a  series  of  yells  and  fierce  growls  told  the  troop- 
ers where  he  had  found  an  enemy,  and  many  times  the  car- 
bine finished  the  work  the  dog's  fangs  had  begun.  The  fight 
was  soon  over ;  many  ponies  were  captured,  with  rifles,  blank- 
ets, and  all  sorts  of  Indian  trappings. 

The  soldiers  who  had  made  so  timely  an  appearance  on 
the  scene  wer  >  a  part  of  a  company  that  Ouster  had  sent  out 
for  the  double  purpose  of  securing  supplies  for  his  command 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  163 

and  looking  after  the  absent  scouts,  about  whom  he  felt  the 
greatest  anxiety.  They  had  camped,  the  e7ening  before,  in 
the  dry  bed  of  a  stream,  and  were  in  the  act  of  preparing 
their  breakfast  when  the  rush  of  hoofs  and  the  yells  of  the 
Indians  burst  upon  their  ears.  Snatching  their  arms,  they 
met  them  with  the  result  already  detailed. 

What  had  appeared  from  a  distance  to  be  bushes  proved  to 
be  the  tops  of  trees  having  their  roots  in  the  bottom,  of  the 
canon,  and  under  their  shade  the  fugitives  found  grateful 
rest,  bringing  splendid  appetites  to  the  ample  breakfast  of 
the  soldiers. 

By  making  short  halts  and  long  marches,  they  soon  over- 
took the  regiment.  We  will  not  dwell  on  Bretta's  joyful  re- 
union with  her  afflicted  family,  the  general's  delight  at  the 
safe  retulrn  of  the  party,  nor  Blucher's  triumphal  entrance 
into  the  camp,  his  collar  filled  with  eagle-feathers,  and  bark- 
ing with  all  his  might  in  response  to  the  acclamations  of  the 
men.  Ouster  received  his  old  favorite  with  many  caresses, 
and  laughingly  assured  him  that  he  should  be  breveted  for 
his  gallant  conduct. 

Two  weeks  later,  and  a  merry  party— consisting  of  Will 
Harland,  his  lovely  bride,  the  Van  Ness  family,  and  several 
Eastern-bound  officers— cro**^  Uae  plains,  and  only  gepa- 
rated  in  New  York. 


164  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

WILD       BILL'9      TESHIBLE      HAND-TO-HAND       FIGHT— SSVEN       MEN 
SHOT  AND  FOUR  STABBED  TO  DEATH. 

WILD  BILL,  one  noon,  in  his  wandering  expeditions,-  found 
himself  in  a  village  of  about  a  hundred  houses.  The  ona 
tavern  of  the  place  was  made  conspicuous  by  a  huge  sign  as 
well  as  by  a  crowd  congregated  about  its  door.  Bill  rode  di- 
rectly up  to  it,  leaping  from  his  mare,  and  walked  boldly  into 
the  bar-room,  w.-iioh  was  crowded  with  people.  Of  these  he 
knew  some,  and  some  knew  him,  and  he  knew  that  most 
of  them  were  Southerners.  Among  them  was  Dave 
Tutt,  on  whom  Bill  had  sworn  vengeance  at  sight  for 
abducting  his  friend  Buffalo  Bill's  sister.  Tutt  stood  at  the 
bar,  raising  a  glass  of  whisky  to  his  lips, as  he  saw  Hill  enter. 
The  color  left  his  face,  and  with  trembling  hand  he  set  the 
liquor  down  untasted. 

"  Drink  it,  Dave,  for  you'll  need  it  now  more  than  you  ever 
did  in  your  life!"  said  Bill,  sternly,  as  he  strode  up  with  in 
two  feet  of  him,  the  crowd  parting  to  right  and  left  as  he  ad- 
vanced. "  Drink  it,I  say,and  then  go  to  the  opposite  side  of 
the  street  with  your  revolver,and  remember,it  is  you  or  me!" 

David  Tutt,  reassured,  when  he  found  that  work  was  not 
to  commence  instantly,  s\vallo wed'  the  fiery  liquid,  and  the 
color  came  back  in  his  face.  Seeing  there  was  no  chance  of 
evading  a  combat,  he  at  once  put  his  hand  on  the  butt  of  his 
revolver  and  slowly  passed  from  the  bar-room  into  the  street, 
and  on  across  it  to  the  front  of  the  court-house. 

"A  fight!"  screamed  all  the  men,  and  all  got  out  of  the 
way  to  arrange  a  free  line  of  fire  between  the  duelists.  When 
all  was  ready  and  the  signal  given  both  men  fired  at  the 
same  time,  and  for  an  instant  it  seemed  as  if  both  had 
missed,  for  both  stood  erect,  cairn  apparently,  looking  at 
each  other.  Only  a  second,  and  with  a  death -yell  on  his 
whitening  lips,  Dave  Tutt  essayed  to  fire  again,  but  his  pis- 
tol exploded  harmlessly  as  he  fell  forward  on  his  face,  dead. 
Then  Bill  raised  the  hat  from  his  head  and  looked  at  a  hole 
in  it  where  the  ball  had  passed  through,  actually  cutting 
away  the  hair  on  his  head  as  it  grazed  the  skull. 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  165 

"  There's  one  debt  paid!"  said  Bill,  as  he  glared  fiercely  on 
the  crowd.  "  If  any  of  you  cared  enough  for  him  to  stand  in 
his  place,  I'll  wait  just  one  minute  to  see  it  done!" 

Bill  calmly  waited  the  minute.  Not  a  man  stirred  or 
spoke.  He  mounted  his  horse  and  rode  away.  The  specta- 
tors, after  Bill's  disappearance,  were  sorry  they  hadn't  hung 
him  on  the  spot. 

"  I  reckon  the  talking  would  have  had  to  lead  the  swing- 
ing!" said  a  rough-looking  customer. 

"Are  you  a  friend  of  his?"  asked  half  a  dozen  men. 

"  Not  if  I  know  myself.  But  I  know  him,  and  the  man 
that  tackles  Wild  Bill  single-handed  has  got  his  winter's 
work  paid  for  in  advance.  I  thought  I'd  see  if  you  all  would 
let  him  go  before  you'd  speak  or  raise  a  hand — so  I  kept  still 
and  saw  you  do  it.  No  ,v  I'm  going  to  fix  him,  or  start  them 
that  will.  I  want  a  gal  that's  smart  as  lightning  who  can 
ride  a  race-horse  and  tell  a  smooth  lie  without  blushing." 

"  Mister,  I'm  one  tha,t  can  do  all  of  that  if  it  will  pay,"  said 
the  landlord's  daughter. 

"  It  shall  pay— Bill's  purse  and  gold  watch,  the  one  is  full, I 
reckon,  and  the  other  worth  two  hundred  dollars,  for  'twas  a 
gift  fromQ-eneral  Harney,"  said  the  man. 

The  girl  was  given  the  man's  own  horse  to  follow  out  his 
directions.  The  man  was  Ben  McCullough,  the  Texan  ran- 
ger. 

Bill  had  gone  four  or  five  miles,  perhaps,  when  he  saw  a 
woman  coming  on  behind  him.  She  was  soon  alongside, 
and  turning  carelessly  in  his  saddle,  he  glanced,  first  curi- 
ously, and  then  admiringly  at  her,  for  she  sat  that  horse  in 
a  way  to  captivate  the  fancy  of  any  one  like  Bill. 

"  That's  a  stunnin'  animal  you're  on,  miss,"  said  he. 

"It  ought  to  be.  Aunt  Sally  gave  two  hundred  for  him 
when  he  was  a  yearlin'  colt,"  said  the  fair  rider.  "  Uncle 
Jake  M'Kandlas  wants  to  buy  him,  but  I  don't  mean  to  let 
Aunt  Sally  sell  him,  for  he  just  suits  we." 

The  girl  spoke  in  a  careless  way,  and  did  not  appear  to  ob- 
serve the  sudden  start  which  Wild  Bill  involuntarily  gave  as 
that  last  name  left  her  lips. 

"  Who  is  Uncle  Jake  M'Kandlas?  Is  he  Aunt  Sally's  hus- 
b»nd?"  asked  Bill  with  assumed  carelessness. 

(  Oh,  no — tfe  call  him  Uncle  Jake  because  he's  old.    Ho 


166  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

isn't  well ;  he  got  hurt  among  the  Indians  not  long  ago,  and 
he's  stayin'  at  our  house  to  get  well,"  said  the  girl,  speaking 
a^easily  and  natural  as  if  she  had  not  learned  a  lesson. 

A  house  in  the  distance,  half  hidden  in  a  little  grove  of  lo- 
custs, was  pointed  out  as  Aunt  Sally's.  They  reached  the 
place  side  by  side,  but  when  Bill  turned  to  lielp  the  girl  dis- 
mount, she  laughed  and  cried  out,  "Jake  M'Kandlas  comes 
yonder,  I'll  go  to  tell  him  Wild  Bill  is  here!"  She  pointed 
to  eleven  men  who  were  coming  that  way,  and  she  instantly 
rode  toward  them. 

An  old  woman  came  to  the  door,  whom  Bill  knew,  and 
seeing  the  horsemen  approaching,  she  cried : "  Oh,  merciful 
Heaven,  Mr.  Hitchcock  (Bill's  real  name)  what  will  become 
of  you?  Jake  M'Kandlas  and  his  gang  will  murder  you  under 
my  roof !  Oh,  what  brought  you  here?" 

"Your  precious  niece  there,"  said  Bill. 

"My  niece?  I  have  no  niece— I  do  not  know  that  girl," 
said  the  woman,  looking  in  wonder  to  see  the  black  ma-re 
speed  away  as  if  she  flew. 

"Then  I'm  sold  and  the  money  paid  in*1'  cried  Bill.  "She 
has  told  Jake  M'Kanrllas,  and  there  he  and  his  tigers  come. 
Old  woman,  if  you  ever  do  any  prayin',  get  into  your  cellar, 
out  of  the  way,  and  pray  your  tallest,  for  there's  going  to  be 
the  toughest  right  here  that  ever  was  fought.  Go  quick,  I 
want  a  clear  range  and  no  squalling  to  bother  me." 

There  was  a  cellar  and  a  trap-door  leading  to  it,  and 
through  this  the  weeping  woman  tied  for  safety,  perhaps  to 
pray,  as  Bill  asked  her  to  do.  The  next  moment,  throwing 
aside  his  hunting  shirt  and  putting  knife-hilt  and  revolver- 
buit  where  his  hand  wrould  reach  them,  easiest,  Bill  stood 
firm,  fronting  the  door  with  his  rifle  cocked  and  ready. 

A  rush  of  horsemen,  the  sound  of  heavy  feet  leaping  from 
the  saddle  to  the  ground,  and  then  the  burly  form  of  Jake 
M'Kandlas  loomed  up  before  the  door. 

"Surrender,  Yank  !  "  shouted  the  renegrade. 

He  never  spoke  again,  for  a  ball  from  Bill's  rifle  tore  away 
the  very  tongue  that  spoke,  and  took  half  the  head  with  it, 
for  he  was  on  the  threshold  and  the  muzzle  of  the  gun  was 
in  his  face.  As  he  fell  back  dead  the  gang  rushed  in  <on 
Bill,  and  firing  as  he  backed  to  a  corner — one,  two,  three, 
four,  five,  six  successive  shots  sent  a  man  clown.  Four  more 


INDIAN   MASSACRES.  167 

were  left,  and  now  knives  in  hand  they  were  on  him.  One 
clutched  him  by  the  throat  with  a  strangling  grasp, 
the  others  hewed  and  mangled  him  as  he  struggled  to  free 
himself.  One  fearful  blow  with  his  clenched  list  sent  one 
combatant  stunned  out  of  the  way,  then  he  clutched  the  arm 
which  was  extended  to  his  throat,  and — and  now  his  own 
knife  was  out.  Like  tigers  mad  for  blood,  with  flashing, 
clashing  knives,  silent  only  that  their  breathing  could  be 
heard  for  rods,  they  sprang  and  leaped  at  eacli  other,  parry- 
ing and  thrusting,  until  the  last  man  of  the  crowd  lay  dead 
before  the  hero.*  He,  a  mass  of  blood  from  head  to  foot, 
staggered  out  of  the  door,  where  the  brunette  yet  sat  on  her 
hof  se  to  await  the  issue.  She  saw  him,  and  with  a  wild 
scream  gave  her  horse  the  rein  and  fled  away  in  the  thicken- 
ing twilight.  Bill  staggered  to  the  well,  and  bending  his 
head  down  to  a  trough  full  of  water,  drank  a  few  drops,  and 
fell  senseless.  The  widow  came  up  from  the  cellar  and  soon 
got  him  in  the  house  on  a  bed  and  dressed  his  wounds  as 
well  as  she  could — stanching  them  with  cold  water  and  lint 
hastily  scraped  from-the  bed  linen.  She  had  the  joy  present- 
ly to  see  his  eyes  open  and  hear  the  question,  "  Have  I 
wiped  them  all  out  ?  " 

"  Yes,  all  but  the  girl,  and  she  fled  away.  I  do  believe 
there's  good  in  prayer  !  "  said  the  old  woman,  "God  must 
have  heard  me,  for  though  you  are  hacked  and  slashed  all 
over,  there  isn't  a  wound  that  has  reached  your  vitals.  Heav- 
en be  praised,  you'll  live  !  " 

"Yes,  it  is  to  Him  I  owe  it  all!"  said  Bill,  solemnly. 
"  Nothing  else  could  have  saved  me,for  every  man  of  'em  was 
a  fighter  !  I  reckon  my  old  mother  must  have  been  prayin\ 
too,  for  'twould  take  a  heap  of  it  to  carry  me  through  such  a 
scrape.  Are  you  sure  all  them  cusses  are  dead  ?  " 

"  Yes— there  is  not  a  breath  in  any  of 'em.  I'll  drag  'em 
out  of  the  house— it's  an  awful  job,  but  I  can't  bear  to  see 
'em  lie  here  after  I  light  up." 

All  the  long  night  the  widow  Watched  poor  Bill.  He  was 
so  weak  that  the  fluttering  breath,  the  low  pulse,  scarce  told 
that  he  lived ;  but  she  prepared  a  mild  stimulant  and  by  noon 
of  the  next  day  he  was  able  to  tako  a  little  broth. 

Friends  soon  discovered  his  predicament,  .and  an  impro 

*  A  historical  fact. 


1 68  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

vised  ambulance  was  made  out  of  the  widow's  wagon  and  a 
feather  bed,  and  she  accompanied  him  on  his  journey,  tak- 
ing a  course  which  Bill  believed  would  soonest  bring  him  to 
where  Union  forces  were  stationed. 

It  was  a  painful  ride  for  the  wounded  man,  but  he  was  too 
much  of  a  hero  to  show  by  any  complaint  what  he  suffered. 
In  ten  days,  by  slow  and  easy  stages,  carefully  nursed  by 
the  widow,  Wild  Bill  reached  St.  Louis.  A  regular  surgeon 
attended  to  his  wounds  and  soon  he  was  <*^nvaleseent  and  a 
happy  man. 


INDIAN  MASSACRES. 


169 


CHAPTER  XX. 

"  BtTFFAIA  ftfLL  ''   VND   "WILD  BILL  "—THEIR  ADVENTURES  ON  THE 
.:  DERS—  TRIALS  OF  MR.  CODY'S  FAMILY. 

No  modern  book  about  Indians  would  be  complete  without 
a  little  of  the  history  and  experience  of  Hiufalo  Bill  (Mr. 
Cody )  and  Wild  Bill  ( Mr.  Hitchcock  )  was  found  in  it.  They 
were  bo^ti  companions  and  side  by  side  had  many  terrible 
struggles  with  the  Red  Men  in  the  settling  of  our  frontiers 
by  the  whites.  Ned  Buntline's  true  story  of  the  tribulations 
of  the  Cody  family  enables  us  to  ascertain  something  of  a 
hero's  early  career. 

On  a  little  green  spot  on  a  Kan- 
sas prairie,  in  a  log  house,  a  white- 
haired  man  sits  by  a  table,  read- 
ing the  Bible.  On  stools  at  his 
feet  sit  his  beautiful  twin  daugh- 
ters, \vhile  back  of  the  mother's 
chair  stands  a  noble  boy.  A 
cavalcade  of  horsemen  halt  be- 
fore the  door. 

"  What  is  wanted,  and  who  are 
ye  ?  "  asked  the  good  man,  as  he 
threw  open  the  door. 

"  You  are  wanted,  you  nigger- 
worshipper,    and    /—  C  o  1  o  n  e  1 
M'Kandlas— have  come  to  fetch  you! 
rant!" 

As  the  ruffian  leader  of  the  band  shouted  theso  words,  a  pis- 
tol in  his  hands  was  fired,  and  the  father,  fell  dead  before  his 
horror-stricken  family. 

"  You,  Jake  M'Kandlas,  have  murdered  my  father!  '  said 
the  boy,  "and  you,  base  oo;vards,  who  saw  him  do  this  dark 
deed,  spoke  no  word  to  restraii  him.  lam  only  littls  Bill, 
his  son,  but  as  God  in  heaven  hears  m®  novr,  I  will  kill  every 
father's  son  of  you  before  the  beard  grows  on  my  face '" 

The  party  soon  dashed  away,  with  their  kader,   ad  the 
heart^stricken  family  were  alone  with  their  dea  ?. 
In  1861  the  old  log  house  had  givea  place  to  a  white  cot- 


BUFFALO  BILL. 

And  there's  the  war- 


170  INDIAN   MASSACRES. 

tage,  a  lorely  flower  garden,  fine  grain  fields,  with  barus, 
sheep,  cattle  and  horses.  The  war  of  the  Rebellion  had  be- 
gun. One  day  there  came  a  letter  from  Fort  Kearney  to  the 
little  cottage  stating  that*Wiiliam  Cody  would  arrive  on  the 
25th  of  the  month,  and  two  friends  would  be  with  him — Wild 
Bill  and  Dave  Tutt. 

The  trio  came  on  time,  and  the  strangers  were  thus  intro- 
duced. 

"This,  mother,"  said  William,  is  Bill  Hitchcock,  the  best 
friend  I  ever  had,  or  ever  will  have,  outside  of  our  own  fami- 
ly. Three  times  has  he  saved  me  from  being  wiped  out.  Once 
by  the  Ogallalas,  once  when  I  was  taken  with  the  cramps  in 
the  ice-cold  Platte,  last  winter,  and  once  when  old  Jake 
M'Kandlas  and  his  gang  had  a  sure  set  on  me.  He  and  I 
will  sink  or  swim  in  the  same  river,  and  that's  a  safe  bet. 
And  this  other,  is  Dave  Tutt.  He  is  good  on  a  hunt,  death 
on  the  reds,  and  as  smart  as  bordermen  are  made  now-a-days. 
Now,  boys,  you're  all  acquainted,  make  yourselves  at  home. 
The  darkey  out  there  has  got  the  horses,  and  he'll  see  them 
all  right.  I  know  that  mother  will  soon  have  a  good  old  sup- 
per for  us." 

Lillie,  on  whom  Dave  Tutt  directed  frequent  glances,  could 
scarcely  conceal  her  aversion  for  him. 

The  sisters  sang  after  supper  to  please  their  brother  and 
his  guests.  The  night  was  charming  outside,  and  the  moon 
shone  brightly.  Mrs.  Cody,  who  was  looking  out  of  the  win- 
dow, suddenly  screamed  and  became  deathly  pale. 

"What  is  it,  mother  ?  "  cried  the  son  springing  to  her  side. 
Being  told  that  slia  had  seen  the  face  of  his  father's  murderer 
at  the  window,  he  opened  the  casement,  and  as  he  did  so  a 
bullet  whistled  near  his  ear. 

Wild  Bill  instantly  blew  out  the  lights,  exclaiming :  "  Dark- 
ness here  and  moon  ii^ht  out  thar!  We'll  be  all  right  in  a 
shake.  Jump  for  your  tools,  boys.  Gals,  lay  down  out  o! 
range ;  we'll  sooa  let  the  reds  know  old  hands  are  here.'' 

The  three  young  ircn,  reinforced  by  three  negroes  and  one 
white  man,  the  farm  hands,  were  ready  for  work  in  less  than 
a  minute,  and  as  the  Indians  did  not  seem  disposed  to  make 
a  rush  for  the  inside  of  the  house,  civpt  quickly  to  points 
where  from  the  doors  and  windows  they  could  pick  the 
•ut  among  the  trtv 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  171 

Buffalo  Bill  suggested  getting  out  to  the  horses  so  as  to 
come  in  on  the  Indians  like  fresh  hands  in  the  fight,  and  he 
told  Dave  Tutt  and  the  men  of  their  scheme,  and  to  peg  away 
at  the  foe  meantime.  The  horses  were  soon  secured  and 
mounted  without  saddle  or  bridle,  and  both  men  dashed 
among  the  fiends,  who  were  also  aftePvthe  farm  stock. 
Wheeling  and  circling  here  and  there  in  the  rear  of  the 
astonished  redskins,  never  missing  a  shot,  the  attacking  par- 
ty soon  fled  from  the  two  fighters,  but  not  before  half  their 
number  had  fallen.  The  search  for  a  white  man  among  the 
bodies  of  the  slain  was  unsuccessful,  so  Bill  decided  that  if 
M'Kandlas  had  been  in  the  party  he  had  escaped  this  time. 

After  breakfast  the  morning  following  the  attack,  while  the 
negroes  were  burying  the  dead  Indians,  Buffalo  Bill  and  his 
companions  held  a  consultation  in  regard  to  what  they  had 
best  do. 

"  They  may  have  got  enough  last  night  to  sicken  them  of 
coming  again/'  said  Buffalo  Bill.  "  I  believe  I'll  get  on  my 
insect,  Powder  Face,  and  follow  their  trail  and  see  what 
they're  about.  You  boys  stay  here  on  the  watch,  and  moth- 
er and  the  girls  can  pack  what  they  need  for  moving  with,  if 
I  find  that  it  will  be  best  to  move." 

He  was  off  at  a  gallop  in  a  moment. 

Bill,  on  his  return,  ordered  preparations  to  be  made  for 
moving.  What  he  discovered  during  his  absence  led  him  to 
believe  that  a  second  attack  would  be  made  on  his  home 
that  night.  The  cottage  home  was  soon  deserted  and  the 
cavalcade  of  horsemen,  wagons,  and  stock  moved  over  the 
prairie.  The  first  wagon,  with  the  white  laborer  driving  it, 
contained  Mrs.  Cody  and  the  three  girls,  and  Dave  Tutt, 
without  being  specially  told  to  take  the  post,  rode  near  it.  A 
negro  was  driving  each  of  the  other  wagons,  and  the  horses 
and  cattle  were  driven  up  by  Buffalo  Bill  and  his  mate. 
When  night  came  on,  they  were  just  passing  a  low  range  of 
sandy  hilis  not  more  than  ten  or  twelve  miles  from  the  farm. 
Buffalo  Bill  looked  back,  and  saw  a  bright  light,  which  indi- 
cated the  fate  of  their  recent  home, 

"  One  more  debt  for  Jake  M'Kandlas  to  pay  before  I  am 
done  with  him!  "  he  muttered. 

The  wind  now  came  sharp  and  spitefully  in  blasts,  and  the 
clouds  rapidly  overspread  t !  ;  i  til  at  last  the  moon  and 


172  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

stars  were  so  nearly  obscured  that  the  travelers  could  see  but 
little  around  them.  The  wagons  were  parked— that  is,  drawn 
into  a  square  so  as  to  leave  a  space  in  the  quadrangle.  Then 
the  cattle  were  put  inside,  the  harnessed  horses  hitched  around 
outside  and  secured  as  well  as  they  could  be  in  the  darkness. 
The  three  bordermen  agreed  to  remain  mounted  so  as  to 
keep  guard  against  any  hostile  approach. 

Suddenly  a  fearful  scream  rose  from  one  of  the  girls  in  the 
wagon— one  wild  cry  for  help,  that  fairly  rent  the  air  as  well 
as  the  hearts  and  ears  of  those  who  heard  it.  The  guards  by 
the  same  lightning  flash  got  a  bare  glimpse  of  a  girl  strug- 
gling in  the  arms  of  a  man  on  horseback,  and  then  all  was 
darkness.  Both  dashed  toward  the  spot  where  they  had  seen 
the  man— another  flash  lit  up  their  own  forms  and  faces, 
but  nothing  else  could  they  see. 

"  Lillie !  Oh,  Heaven,  where  is  our  Lillie  ?  "  screamed  Mrs 
Cody. 

"  Dave  Tutt— whereas  he?"  shrieked  Lottie.  "  He  was  here 
and  asked  how  we  were,  not  a  minute  ago,  and  Lillie  an- 
swered him." 

"  Dave  Tutt!  "  shouted  Buffalo  BilL  "  Dave  Tutt,  where 
are  you?'* 

No  answer  came. 

"  The  curse  has  carried  Miss  Lillie  off!"  cried  Wild  BUI. 
"  It  was  him  we  saw  with  her  in  his  arms.'* 

"  Oh,  my  child— my  child! "  moaned  the  unhappy  mother. 
"  You  had  indeed  reason  to  hate  and  fear  that  man ! " 

"Do  not  try  to  move  the  wagons  while  we  are  gone,"  said 
Buffalo  Bill,  in  a  hoarse  tone,  to  his  mother.  "  Wild  Bill  and 
I  must  go  after  Lillie." 

After  a  thunder  shower  the  sky  began  to  brighten,  and  the 
two  horssmen  neared  the  old  farm,  so  that  they  could  see 
men  grouped  close  to  timbers  and  rails  that  had  been 
heaped  on  the  fire  for  fuel. 

"  Let  us  c-reep  up  and  seo  who  is  there,"  said  Wild  Bill. 

"  No— no !  The  murderer  of  my  father  is  there !  My  poor 
sister,  too.  Bid©  on  as  I  do,  and  let  your  revolver  do  your 
talking!  " 

Wild  Bill  saw  that  argument  would  be  lost.  Setting  his 
teeth,  Ms  revolver  in  hand,  and  his  eyes  fixe  d  on  the  group 
n©t  B©W  a  kisadired  yards  off,  he  urged  Black  Nell  up  to  the 


RES.  i'l.j 

side  of  Powder  Face,  and  both  horsemen  at  the  same  instant 
dashed  into  the  circle  of  light. 

Jake  M'Kandlas  sprang  to  his  feet  as  a  hoarse  voice  shout- 
ed his  name,  and  fell  the  next  instant  with  a  bullet  through 
his  body,  while  dashing  on  and  over  them,  firing  as  they 
came,  the  two  riders  swep.t,  shooting  down  Indians  and  white 
men  side  by  side  as  they  passed  on.  In  an  instant,  wheeling 
with  fearful  yells,  back  they  came,  but  found  few  either  of 
the  white  or  red  men  waiting  for  the  onslaught,  for  all  but 
three  or  four  had  fled. 

These  fired  only  two  or  three  random  shots  before  the 
surer  aim  of  the  bordermen  sent  them  to  death,  and  then 
there  were  none  to  resist. 

"Oh,  Heaven,  where  is  Lillie  ?  "  shouted  Bill.  "  She  is 
not  here — back  to  the  prairie,  mate — the  moon  is  coming  out 
and  we'll  find  her  yet.  Waste  no  time  on  the  dead,  but  fol- 
low me!" 

They  returned  to  the  wagons  where  the  other  dear  ones 
had  been  left. 

"  Have  you  found  Lillie?"  was  the  cry  of  the  mother,  as 
her  son  rode  up. 

"  Not  yet,  but  I  have  slain  the  murderer  of  my  father! 
His  dead  body  lies  roasting  by  the  embers  of  our  ruined 
home.  Go  on  due  east  when  day  dawns — Bill  and  I  will  be 
scouting  the  prairie  for  the  trail  of  Dave  Tutt.  Wo  will  not 
rest  till  our  Lillie  is  found  and  his  body  left  to  sicken  the 
howling  wolves !" 

When  the  two  Bills  had  left  the  ruins  of  the  cottage,  Dave 
Tutt  rode  up,  and  on  his  saddle  before  him,  lifeless  in  ap- 
pearance, he  held  Lillie. 

"  Hallo  -where  are  you  all!  "  shouted  Dave.  "Some  dead 
and  the  rest  all  run  away  from  only  two  men.  If  I  hadn't  had 
the  gal  to  bother  with,  I'd  have  fought  'em  alone.  They 
went  by  within  twenty  feet  of  me  in  the  dark.  Hallo— here ! 
Jake  M'Kandlas,  or  Frank  Stark,  where  are  you?  " 

"  Who  calls  Jake  M'Kandlas?  Here's  what's  left  of  him^ 
and  that's  pretty  much  run  out,  I  reckon!"  said  the  ruffian 
himself. 

"It  is  me,  Dave  Tutt,  colonel — are  you  hurt  bad?" 

"  Yes,  I've  got  a  heavy  dose,  Dave." 

Dave  laid  his  helpless  burden  down  with  her  head  on  a  sad- 


174  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

die,  and  hurried  to  place  the  wounded  man  in  a  m©r«  com 
f  ortable  position. 

As  this  was  done  the  eye  of  M'Kandlas  fell  on  Llllio. 

"Who  have  you  got  there,  Dave!"  he  asked  hastily. 
"  Isn't  it  one  of  the  twins?" 

"  Yes,  it  is  Lillie,  and  her  destiny  is  to  be  a  robber's  bride. 
She  turned  the  cold  shoulder  on  me,  or  I'd  have  been  less 
rough  in  my  courting — but  the  storm  came  up  and  I  lifted 
her,  and  here  she  is." 

"  Then  it  was  her  them  two,  Wild  Bill  and  her  brother,  were 
after  when  they  charged  on  us  here  ?  " 

"  Of  course  it  was,  and  as  they  found  she  was'nt  here,  they 
didn't  wait  to  lift  hair,  but  put  out  after  me.  They  passed 
me  twice  within  pistol  shot,  and  if  she  hadn't  been  still  in 
her  faint,  I  would  have  had  to  still  her.  But  where's  all  youi 
men?  There's  not  over  half  dozen,  red  and  white,  stretched 
here." 

"  No,  there's  more,  but  they've  scattered.  Blow  this  whistle, 
Dave,  I'm  too  weak." 

Tutt  took  a  large  whistle  from  the  neck  of  the  wounded 
man  and  blew  a  shrill  call.  It  was  answered  by  another 
whistle. 

"That  is  Frank  Stark,"  said  the  chief.  "He  will  be 
here  soon,  and  he  carries  what  I  need  now,  for  I'm  as  weak 
as  a  sick  chicken.  There's  a  bad  hole  in  my  carcass.  I've 
stuffed  a  bit  of  my  hunting  shirt  in  to  stop  the  bleeding,  but 
I'm  afraid  from  the  feeling,  it  bleeds  inside." 

Frank  Stark  came  and  stimulated  the  wounded  man  with 
whisky,  which  was  also  proffered  Lillie,  when  she  gained 
consciousness. 

"Wretch!  Take  me  back  to  my  mother !"  she  said,  as  she 
pushed  the  flask  away. 

"  Not  yet — not  before  our  honeymoon  is  over,  my  pretty 
wife  that  is  to  be !  "  said  Dave. 

"  .-*/?•  wife?  Fiend!  I  will  die  a  thousand  deaths  first. 
I  hated  you  from  the  first  moment  I  saw  you !  And  now,  cow- 
ard, dog,  I  loathe  and  despise  you!  " 

A  consultation  was  held  as  to  the  next  movements  of  the 
party.  Frank  Stark  wanted  to  follow  up  the  wagons  .  But 
Jake  M'Kandlas  could  not,  and  Dave  Tutt  would  not  go. 
M'Kandlas  could  only  be  moved  slowly  and  with  care,  so  it 


INDIAN   MASSACRES.  175 

took  a  part  of  the  force  to  attend  to  him.  Therefore  a  pur- 
suit which  would  be  attended  with  the  certainty  of  a  hard 
fight  was  given  up,  and  as  soon  as  day  dawned  the  route  for 
the  Black  Hills  was  taken  up.  Lillie  was  placed  in  a  light 
wagon  which  had  been  saved  from  the  flames,  an  i  the 
wounded  colonel  and  his  two  injured  men  were  laid  ou  a 
heap  of  straw  in  the  same  vehicle.  Before  sunrise  they  were 
miles  away,  Dave  Tutt  now  taking  the  leadership  of  the  party 
and  hurrying  them  on,  for  he  dreaded  pursuit  from  the  two 
men  whom  he  knew  but  too  well,  once  on  his  track,  would 
not  leave  it  while  he  lived. 

To  and  fro,  rode  the  two  bordermen,  until  day  dawned, 
and  yet  they  found  no  sign  of  the  lost  one. 

"  He  has  most  likely  made  for  the  Black  Hills.  I've  heard 
him  tell  how  friendly  him  and  the  Ogallala  Sioux  were  who 
live  in  that  section,"  said  Wild  Bill. 

"Then  we  will  follow  him  there.  If  a  hundred  tribes,  in- 
stead of  one,  were  at  his  back,  I'd  have  her  from  him  and 
my  knife  in  his  heart!  It  maddens  me  to  think  she  is  in  his 
power.  If  he  wrongs  her  by  an  insulting  word,  much  less  a 
rude  touch,  I'll  kill  him  by  inches!  Bill,  Jet's  bear  for  the 
Black  Hills." 

Wild  Bill  counseled  going  to  the  settlements  first  for  help, 
and  before  the  sun  reached  its  meridian  they  were  once  more 
with  the  wagons. 

"  Have  you  given  up  the  search  for  your  sister  ?  "  asked 
Mrs.  Cody,  when  she  saw  her  son  and  his  mate  ride  up. 

''No,  mother,  nor  will  we  until  she  is  found.  But  we  can 
strike  no  trail— the  rain  has  washed  it  away.  We  know  this, 
however,  that  Dave  Tutt  has  friends  among  the  fighting 
Sioux  in  the  Black  Hills,  and  he's  most  likely  making  for 
them.  We  must  have  more  force  than  us  two  to  go  there 
\vith  any  chance  to  get  her  away — so  our  plan  is  to  get  you 
all  in  safety  to  the  nearest  post,  then  collect  a  party  and 
start  for  the  hills.  Dead  or  alive  we'll  find  her." 

At  sundown  a  settlement  was  reached  and  soon  a  volun- 
teer company  was  organized  for  the  expedition  to  rescue  1  il- 
lie,  who  started  next  morning  on  their  search. 

Late  on  the  afternoon  of  the  same  day  on  which  Buffalo 
Bill  left  with  his  party,  two  smart-looking  strangers,  well 
mounted,  but  with  no  arms  visible,  arrived  at  the  tavern 


176  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

where*  Mrs.  Cody  and  daughter  were  staying.  The  presiding 
genius  of  the  bar-room  was  Major  Williams,  the  landlord— 
the  presiding  genius  of  the  kitchen  and  boss  of  the  whole 
house  was  Molly  Williams,  his  young  wife— that  i.«,  young 
compared  with  him,  for  she  was  only  five-and-thirty,  while 
he  was  eighty  years  old,  if  a  day. 

Most  of  the  male  population  of  the  place  found  its  way  to 
the  bar-room  in  the  evening.  To  make  themselves  popular 
with  these  people,  the  strangers  were  liberal  in  treating,  and 
it  was  not  long  before  nearly  all  were  more  or  less  under  the 
influence  of  the  vile  beverage  vended  at  the  bar.  The  stran- 
gers pretended  to  drink  quite  as  freely  as  those  whom  they 
treated,  but  they  poured  out  scarcely  anything  for  them- 
selves, and  so  diluted  what  they  did  take  with  water  that 
they  felt  none  of  the  effects  which  they  were  producing  on 
others. 

The  old  major  hung  out  as  long  as  he  could,  but  at  last 
sank  down  helpless  in  his  chair  behind  the  bar,  and  then  the 
two  strangers  were  alone.  An  eye  was  on  them,  however, 
for  Mrs.  Molly  Williams,  though  perfectly  willing  to  see  the 
money  come  into  the  drawer,did  not  believe  in  its  going  out 
again,  so  when  she  saw  her  old  husband  sink  down  into  help- 
lessness, as  she  did  through  a  crack,  she  went  in  to  secure 
the  money  in  the  drawer,  inform  the  strangers  that  it  was 
bed-time,  and  drag  her  drunken  old  husband  to  his  nest, 
when  the  tramp  of  horses'  hoofs  reached  her  ears. 

"  The  boys  are  coming— we're  all  right  now !"  said  the  eld- 
er of  the  strangers,  springing  to  his  feet  at  this  sound.  "  The 
plunder  and  the  girls  first,  and  a  big  blaze  afterward!" 

''Open  the  door,  Hubert,  and  tell  the  boys  that  I,  Alf  Coye, 
am  here !"  cried  the  elder.  "  There's  nothing  to  fear.  Every 
ma-i  in  the  place  is  drank  or  asleep.  Surround  the  house — 
let  no  one  leave  or  enter  boside  our  own  men,  without  my 
permission." 

This  order  u  as  given  because,  fully  dressed  and  ready  for' 
departure,  Mrs.  Tody,  har  daughter  'iliotti©,  and  Kittle  Mui- 
doon  their  servant,  mads  their  appe&ranoe  i^  the  back  room. 

"  What  does  this  in-sau 9"  asked  for,  v;5£otf. 

Sh«  addressed  tha  question  to  Mr*.  Williams,  bttt  was  an- 
swered by  Captain  A/,2  Coye. 

"It  means.,  mad'**,  ta&«  ^art  and  parcel  of  the  Southern 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  177 

Confederacy  has  made  a  raid»over  the  Kansas  border,  and 
as  one  Buffalo  Bill  is  arrayed  on  the  Union  side,  wo  shall 
deem  it  good  policy  to  hold  his  mother  and  sister  in  our 
hands  as  hostages  for  his  future  good  behavior.  I  am  glad 
to  see  you  are  dressed,  ready  for  traveling,  for  my  men  will 
only  remain  here  long  enough  to  collect  what  plunder  they 
want  and  to  make  a  bonfire  of  the  rest.  We  will  then  head 
for  Missouri,  and  you  will  accompany  us." 

"Hubert,  find  a  good  carriage  or  wagon  to  put  these  wom- 
en in.  I  shall  carry  them  over  the  border,  and  if  Buffalo 
Bill  comes  after  them  I'll  have  a  rope  for  his  neck !"  said  the 
captain. 

Buffalo  Bill  and  his  rescuers  traced  the  kidnapper  of  Lil- 
lie  to  a  stockade  built  by  his  friends.  Frank  Stark  was  a 
rival  of  Dave  Tutt  for  the  good  graces  of  Lillie,  and  prom- 
ised to  aid  her  in  escaping. 

"Over  the  works,  boys,  and  let  your  revolvers  and  knives 
teJl  the  ta,le!':  Buffalo  Bill  shouted,  and  sprang  up  the  lad- 
der. Amid  the  yells  of  the  garrison  some  decisive  work  went 
on,  by  his  followers. 

"  Mercy — we  surrender!"  shouted  a  huge  villain  already 
down  with  a  bullet  in  his  breast. 

"Take  the  mercy  your  gang  gave  my  father!"  said  Buffalo 
Bill,  driving  his  knife  into  his  skull. 

Except  a  few  wounded  wretches  on  the  earth  not  one  of 
the  Indians  or  robbers  was  left. 

"Boys,  it's  a  shame  to  butcher  them  that  can't  defend 
themselves,"  said  Wild  Bill. 

"  Excepting  old  Jake  •tt'Kaudlas,  the  rest  may  live  for  all 
me,"  cried  Buffalo  Bill.  "As  for  him,  he  shall  live  until  I 
can  hang  him  over  the  grave  of  my  murdered  father,  or 
roast  him  to  ashes  on  the  ground  stained  by  his  blood.  But 
my  sister— she  is  safe  from  here,  but  is  Fraak  Stark  to  be 
trusted  ?" 

"  Yes,  just  as  you  c«u!d  have  trusted  me,  if  I  had  got  her 
off,"  said  Dare  Tutt,  wit-k  a  foebta  v*i«© ;  for,  terribly  hurt, 
he  lay  y»t  living  among  tha  woundtd.  "H®  is  off  for  the 
Black  Hills  with  her." 

"That's  a  lie,  for  I  saw  him  and  k&r  crossing  the  river  by 
the  light  of  the  same  flash  which  revealed  you  to  us,  and  us 
to  you,  you  mean  sneak,"  cried  Buffalo  Bill.  "  If  I  wasn't 


178  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

sure  you'd  suffer  more  by  being*let  alone,  I'd  cut  yourthroat 
where  your  are,  you  infernal  spy  and  deceiving  cuss !  Look 
out  for  him,  men,  and  for  old  Jake  M  'Kandlas  —I  am  going 
across  the  river  to  find  Lillie." 

"  You  need  not  cross  the  river  to  find  her,  for  she  is  here," 
cried  Frank  Stark^omtng  toward  them  followed  by  the  girl. 

Lillie  was  soon  in  the  arms  of  her  brother,  while  Frank  Stark 
was  forgiven  for  the  kindness  shown  his  sister,  who  declared 
that  he  would  thereafter  fight  under  the  stars  and  stripes. 

A  new-comer  drove  up  after  the  above  scene,  whom  Bill 
knew,  and  addressed  thus :  "  You  look  as  wh&e  as  a  ghost, 
man !  What  is  the  matter  in  Corrinne  ?" 

"  There's  matter  enough  to  drive  us  all  mad.  There's  not 
a  house  left  standing  in  town — all  are  in  ashes.  Worse  yet, 
every  man  but  myself,  I  think,  is  killed,  with  some  of  the 
women,  too— and  the  youngest  and  fairest  carried  oft.  I 
crept  away,  ran  miles  on  foot,  then  caught  a  loose  horse,  got 
on  your  trail,  and  am  here." 

"  Who  did  this  ?  "  asked  Bill. 

"One  Alf  Coye,  at  the  head  of  a  hundred  bush-whackers 
from  Missouri." 

"  My  mother  and  Lottie!"  gasped  Bill. 

"  I  saw  them  in  a  wagon  under  guard  as  I  crept  away." 

Said  Buffalo  Bill :  "  Now,  men,  we  have  work  to  do.  Frank 
Stark,  for  the  good  heart  you  have  shown,  I  am  going  to 
trust  you  as  I'd  trust  no  other  man  on  such  short  acquaint- 
ance. I  shall  take  all  but  five  of  my  men  and  the  best  horses, 
and  make  after  the  party  that  have  carriei  off  my  mother 
and  sister,  and  we  know  not  how  many  more.  With  those 
five  and  this  man  here,  guard  my  sister  Lillie  and  get  her  to 
St.  Louis  just  as  quickly  as  you  can.  I  will  meet  you  there 
if  I  live.  ' 

One  brief  embrace  between  brother  and  sister  and  our  hero 
was  off  to  rescue  his  mother  and  Lottie. 

Lillie  at  once  began  to  make  preparations  for  her  journey, 
while  Stark  went  into  the  place  where  M 'Kandlas  and  1  'av-o 
Tutt  were  lying,  and  said  :  "  I  came  in  to  se«i  if  you  required 
any  fixing  up  before  we  started." 

"  Started  V    What  do  you  mean  ?  "  asked  M  Kandlas. 

"  That  we  start  in  a  little  while  for  the  settlements.  I  am 
having  mule-lifters  fixed  for  you  and  Dave,  and  you'll  swing 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  1  .  •> 

when  Buffalo  Bill  gets  back  from  punishing  Alf  Coye." 

"  He'll  never  get  back  from  that  bit  of  business,"  said  Dave 
Tutt.  "  Alf  Coye  is  not  the  man  to  get  away  from,  and  Buf- 
falo Bill  will  learn  that  if  he  crosses  his  path.  Ah !  your  new 
sweetheart  is  in  trouble,  Mr.  Frank  Stark— and  so  are  you ! 
Here  is  Haven  Feather— the  Ogallala,  and  my  friend." 

Even  as  these  last  words  passed  the  lips  of  Dave  Tutt, 
caused  as  they  were  by  a  wild  scream  from  Lillie,  the  open- 
ing in  the  brush  house  that  served  as  a  door  was  darkened 
by  the  Dresence  of  several  Indians. 

Frank  Stark  and  Lillie  were  soon  bound,  and  waiting  up- 
on the  motion  of  the  chief,  who  turned  out  to  be  Haven 
Feather  who  had  his  lodge  in  one  of  the  fastnesses  of  the 
Black  Hills,  and  thither  the  band,  with  the  wounded  and  cap- 
tives, marched. 

For  four  days  after  having  struck  it,  across  the  Missouri 
border,  Buffalo  Bill,  with  a  force  increased  by  volunteers  to 
about  fifty  men,  had  followed  the  trail  of  Alf  Coye,  and  he 
was  again  in  Kansas,  the  route  of  pursued  and  pursuers 
tending  toward  the  same  section  of  the  Hills  to  where  Eaven 
Feather  was  making  his  way.  The  one  narrow  passage vvay 
in  and  out  of  his  chosen  village  could  be  defended  by  a  few 
against  the  approach  of  thousands.  For  this  reason  had 
Eaven  Feather,  the  great  war  chief  of  the  Ogallala  Sioux, 
taken  it  for  the  home  of  his  tribe.  Their  enemies  would 
never  risk  their  warriors  in  an  attack  on  such  a  defensive 
spot  as  this. 

One  night,  after  sundown,  Alf  Coye  rode  into  this  valley  at 
the  head  of  his  weary  column.  It  was  a  long  cavalcade,  for 
beside  his  men,  one  hundred  in  number,  he  had  nearly  as 
many  poor,  unhappy  women,  mostly  young  and  beautiful,  in- 
cluding Mrs.  Cody,  Lottie  and  their  servant,  who  had  been 
dragged  from  desolate  homes  by  the  wretches  whom  he 
commanded.  Eaven  Feather  had  given  the  friendly  ruf- 
ilans  permission  to  come  up  into  the  village,  and  the  night 
was  passed  in  peace,  until  shouting  and  yelling  announced 
the  return  of  Eaven  Fe-ither.  He  did  not  come  alone. 
Clutched  by  the  arm  he  led  poor  Lillie  as  if  he  feared  that 
escaping  from  his  grasp  she  might  rush  to  destruction  in  the 
water  of  the  river  so  near  at  hand.  One  wild,  glad  cry,  and 
tearing  herself  from  his  grasp,  she  was  in  the  arms  of  her 


ISO  IKDIAN  MASSACKUS. 

mother  and  sister.  Weeping  and  sobbing  the  four  women 
clung  together,  while  Haven  Feather,  who  did  not  at  first 
understand  it,  began  to  comprehend  that  he  had  brought  a 
daughter  to  a  mother  and  a  sister  to  a  sister  in  captivity, — 
that  he  had  three  of  the  nearest  relatives  of  the  dreaded 
Buffalo  Bill  in  his  power. 

Arrangements  were  made  to  burn  Frank  Stark  at  the  stake 
the  following  dayr~ 

When  the  sun  sank  behind  the  peaks  of  the  mountains  that 
same  night,  the  hope  of  rescuing  his  mother  and  Lottie  sank 
nearly  in  Buffalo  Bill's  breast.  Little  did  he  dream  that 
Lillie  was  again  in  the  hands  of  his  enemies,  much  less  than 
even  then  one  twin  was  almost  as  near  to  him  as  the  other. 
Though,  by  the  exceeding  freshness  of  the  trail,  he  knew  he 
was  very  close  to  the  party  of  Alt'  Coye,  for  he  saw  that  they 
must  have  gained  the  mountain  range.  There,  with  rocks, 
sheltering  ravines,  a  thousand  ramparts  everywhere,  the 
wretches  could  make  easy  defense.  Only  stratagem  could 
dislodge  them ;  cmly  cunning  could  release  their  unhappy 
captives. 

While  he  was  musing,  he  heard  the  sound  of  a  bugle,  and 
recognized  the  well-known  notes  of  the  "  Tattoo,"  or  the 
turning-in  call  of  the  United  States  cavalry.  And  he  knew 
to  a  mile  almost  in  the  gentle  breeze  of  that  evening  how  far 
away  the  bugler  was  who  blew  the  notes  that  reached  his 
ear;  also,  the  precise  direction.  In  this  he  rode  swiftly  for 
nearly  half  an  hour,  and  came  in  sight  of  the  encampnrent. 

By  a  detour  he  passed  the  sentinels,  and  came  close  enough 
to  recognize  the  Fifth  cavalry,  several  officers  in  which  he 
personally  knew,  especially  Captain  Brown.  He  at  once  made 
his  presence  known. 

"  Buffalo  Bill,  by  the  chances  of  war!  "  cried  the  captain. 
"I'm  glad  to  see  you." 

"  Not  half  so  glad  as  I  am  to  see  you,  cap,  with  all  these 
boys  about  you,  if  so  be  you'll  help  me  in  a  little  matter  of 
work  that  I've  got  close  at  hand." 

«  Work—  what  is  it,  Bill?" 

"  The  whole  story  is  too  long  to  tell,  cap,  but  the  short  of  it 
is  this.  We  are  within  two  or  three  hours'  ride  of  a  hundred 
Missouri  bush-whackers, -»\  ho  have  got  many  helpless  women 
prisoners,  among  them  my  own  dear  mother  and  one  of  my 


INDIAN   MAS  181 

sisters.      But  if  you'll  help  me,  I  know  I  can  succeed.    I  have 
fifty  as  good  men,  regular  rangers,  as  ever  drew  trigger- 
can  rid  the  earth  of  every  rascal  of  the   lot.     Will  you  help 
me,  sir  ?  " 

Orders  were  instantly  sent  out,  and  the  next  moment  Wild 
•  ill  dashed  into  camp.  "  Bill,  what  have  you  soen  ?  "  asked 
Buffalo  Bill. 

"  I've  not  seen  your  mother,  nor  Lottie,"  said  Bill.  "Bat 
they  are  in  there,  for  Alf  Coye  has  gone  through  the  big 
canyon  to  the  village.  But  I  did  see  poor  Lillie,  riding  ; 
hind  old  Haven  Feather  himself,  and  Jake  M'Kandlas  and 
Dave  Tutt  are  in  the  party.  So  is  poor  Frank  Stark,  pain  tod 
with  black  streaks,  which  means  he  is  doomed  to  die  at  the 
stake.  ' ' 

Sim  Geary,  a  scout  with  the  cavalry,  had  been  in  Raven 
leather's  village  twice,  and  so  was  capable  of  suggesting  a 
plan  of  attack,  one  feature  of  wliicli  was  to  roll  down  ro- 
from  the  mountain  into  the  village.  Captain  Brown  *vas  to 
make  an  open  attack  in  front,  keeping  his  men  back  far  enough 
not  to  lose.  A  picked  party  of  men  was  to  get  to  the  top  of 
the  hill  overhanging  the  canyon  before  daylight,  and  not  be 
seen  when  daylight  came  till  it  was  time  to  roll  rocks. 

"  While  all  this  is  goin'  on,  and  it  don't  need  any  of  na  in 
front,"  said  Sim,  "  we  three  old  bordenmen,  with  the  party 
that  Buffalo  Bill  bosses,  will  get  behind  'em,  come  down  on 
their  rear  after  we've  got  their  captives  safe ;  and,  if  we  don't 
linish  'em  then,  I'm  williu'  to  eat  dirt!  " 

When  the  sun  next  morning  rose  the  preparations  for  tort- 
uring the  chief  victim,  Frank  Stark,  were  almost  complete;!, 
in  front  of  the  lodge  of  Alf  Coye  a  large  post  ha  -ot, 

and  near  it  dry  fuel  lay  in  a  huge  heap  ready  to  ignite  when 
all  was  arranged. 

Jake  M'Kandlas,  Dave  Tutt  and  all  tho  warriors  wore 
present  when  Frank  Stark  was  bound  to  the  stake,  when  sud- 
denly a  piercing  scream  broke  on  every  ear,  and  Lillie  rushed 
through  the  yelling  circle  and  with  her  own  hands  tore  away 
the  fagots  from  about  the  prisoner's  form. 

What  Raven  Feather  or  the  rest  would  have  done  to  her  or 
those  by  her  side  for  this  interruption,  may  not  be  known, 
for  suddenly,  with  no  warning,  a  sound  came  rolling  up  the 
canyon  which  in  a  second  !  everything.  Not  like  the 


182  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

roll  of  pealing  thunder,  but  sharp,  quick  and  crashing,  came 
the  report  of  a  cannon.  It  was  the  field-piece  belonging  to 
the  cavalry  train.  For  a  few  seconds  every  warrior  was 
dumb.  Alf  Coye  was  first  to  break  the  spell  of  silence.  And 
before  he  spoke  the  rattle  of  small  arms  and  the  yells  of  fight- 
ing men  far  down  the  gorge  were  heard. 

"To  the  mouth  of  the  canyon,''  he  shouted.  "  Every  man, 
red  and  white.  There  are  regulars  ia  that  attack,  or 
there  wouldn't  be  cannon.  If  they  get  through  the  gorge 
we're  whipped.  Follow,  men — follow!  "  And  with  his  saber 
drawn  he  rushed  to  his  horse  picketed  close  by,  mounted 
without  waiting  to  saddle,  and  rode  away.  In  less  than  a 
minute  every  white  man  and  every  warrior,  except  alone 
Dave  Tutt  and  Jake  M'Kandlas,  was  speeding  off  toward  the 
sound  of  battle. 

As  if  dropped  from  the  sky,  Buffalo  Bill,  his  mate  and  Sim 
Geary,  at  the  head  of  fifty  riflemen,  rushed  into  the  lodge. 

While  Buffalo  Bill  was  embracing  his  loved  ones,  Wild 
Bill  cut  the  thongs  which  bound  Frank  Stark  to  the  post  of 
torture,  and  Sim  Geary  tied  Jake  M'Kandlas  and  Dave  Tutt. 

"  We've  no  time  to  spend  here !  "  cried  Sim  Geary.  ''There's 
a  heap  of  warriors  out  there,  beside  Alf  Coye's  gang.  Brown 
will  have  too  much  to  do,  if  I  don't  close  in  on  the  enemy's 
rear.  Not  a  rock  will  roll  till  we've  opened  fire.  And  we'll 
have  time  enough  to  attend  to  matters  here  when  we've 
wiped  them  out  that's  in  front." 

"  That  is  so — we  must  help  our  friends  there.  Mother,  sis- 
ters, you  are  safe  now.  I  will  leave  a  half-dozen  men,  how- 
ever. But  I  must  go  and  help  to  exterminate  the  wretches. 
Boys,  six  of  you  release  every  prisoner  here,  and  stay  to  keep 
the  she-fiends  of  squa-vs  quiet.  The  rest  follow  me ! '; 

Buffalo  Bill  waited  not  to  hear  an  objection,  but,  followed 
by  his  men,  and  Frank  Stark  also,  who  had  armed  himself 
from  a  lodge  close  at  hand,  bounded  away  toward  the  gorge. 

Suddenly  huge  rocks  came  bounding  down,  noise  louder 
than  thunder,  from  the  cliffs  above.  Down  came  ton  after- 
ton  of  rock,  mangling  men  and  horses  in  a  dreadful  mass. 
Nothing  now  reigned  but  confusion,  despair — death.  They 
threw  down  weapons  which  were  of  no  avail,  and  rode  over 
each  other,  trampled  and  even  hewed  each  other  down  with 
their  knives  and  hatchets  in  their  mad  endeavors  to  get  out 


INDIAN    MASSACRES. 

of  the  way  of  the  terrible  avalanche  which  rained  down  the 
mountain  steeps. 

"  I  surrender !  In  the  name  of  mercy  stop  this  butchery !" 
shouted  Alf  Coye  to  Buffalo  Bill. 

"  Mercy  is  a  name  not  fit  for  your  lips,  you  woman-killing 
fiend !"  shouted  Bill. 

"  There  is  the  mercy  shown  my  gray-haired  father  in 
Kansas!  "  as  he  raised  his  rifle  and  sent  a  ball  through  the 
heart  of  the  murderous  man. 

A  dozen  more  shots  and  not  one  of  Alf  Coye's  party  was 
left  in  sight  alive.  Wild  Bill  slew  Raven  Feather  with  his 
knife. 

When  the  battle  was  over  the  troops  discovered  the  strat- 
egy of  Raven  Feather's  squaw. 

On  a  great  rock,  inaccessible  except  by  a  narrow  path,  but 
where  one  could  ascend  at  a  time,  and  this  path  overhung 
with  a  rock  which  her  women  stood  ready  to  hurl  down  if 
the  ascent  was  attempted,  stood  all  the  prisoners,  also  the 
Indian  women  of  the  village,  the  widow  of  Raven  Feather, 
and  the  two  wounded  white  renegades.  The  rock  overhung 
the  torrent  of  the  river  where  it  was  roughest,  and  where  no 
hope  for  life  could  exist  if  one  were  cast  into  its  terrible  foam. 
Foremost  of  all  was  this  terrible  tableau. 

Holding  poor  Lillie,  who  was  bound  and  helpless,  as  were 
all  the  captives,  so  before  him  that  her  form  shielded  his 
body,  stood  Dave  Tutt,  with  a  keen  knife  pointing  to  her 
heart,  requiring  but  a  motion  to  sink  it  there.  And  Jake 
M'Kandlas  stood  in  the  same  position,  holding  Mrs.  Cody  as 
his  shield  and  at  his  mercy.  Lottie  was  in  the  hands  of  the 
Indian  queen,  and  each  of  the  other  captives  was  in  a  sim- 
ilar position,  at  the  mercy  of  the  squaws  who  held  them. 

Dave  Tutt  was  spokesman,  and  made  the  following  terms 
of  surrender  and  gave  five  minutes  for  their  acceptance : 

"Swear  on  your  oath  that  you  will  allow  every  one  on  this 
rock,  red  and  white,  their  free,  unrestrained  liberty  to  leave 
this  plain,  with  provisions  and  stock  to  carry  them  away ; 
that  you  will  not  harm  them  in  any\vay,  or  check  their  de- 
parture, nor  follow  them  when  they  depart.  On  this  con- 
dition, and  this  alone,  we  will  surrender  these  captives  un- 
harmed into  your  hands.  Speak  quick,  for  if  your  answer  is 
not  y«s,  so  a*ip  m#  high  Heaven,  I  strike  the  first  blow 


184  INDIAN   MASSACRES. 

% 

here  !  "  And  the  broad  blade  of  his  knife  quivered  over  tlia 
heart  of  Lillie. 

"Yes,— in  Heaven's  name,  yes  !  "  cried  Captain  Brown. 

"  Let  Buffalo  Hill,  Wild  Bill,  Frank  Stark— let  all  say  yes, 
and  s'vear  it !  "  cried  Dave,  his  hand  still  upheld. 

"  YES  !  "  gasped  all  the  men. 

"  Swear  it,  and  we  ask  no  more." 

"We  swear  it!  "  came  solemnly  from  every  lip. 

IB  art  instant  every  prisoner  stood  free-:— their  bonds  were 
cut  at  a  signal  with  the  knives  that  threatened  their  exist- 
ence. And  those  who  would  have  slain  them,  even  the  wid- 
owed squaws,  now  helped  them  in  the  perilous  descent  to  re- 
join their  friends. 

The  Cody  women  reached  St.  Louis  in  safety  after  their 
terrible  experience  in  captivity. 


INDIAN   MASSACRES,  185 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

sow  "BUFFALO  BILL'*  OBTAINED  HIS  SOBRIQUET— HIS  DUEL  WITH 

CHIEF  YELLOW  HAND. 

HON.  WILLIAM  F.  CODY,  while  passing  through  New  York 
city  for  his  ranch  in  the  West,  told  a  reporter  of  the  Mall 
and  Ejcprets  how  he  came  to  be  called  "  Buffalo  Bill,"  about 
his  duel  with  Yellow  Hand,  and  other  deadly  combats  with 
Indians : 

"  I  earned  the  title  of  Buffalo  Bill  by  killing  buffaloes  on 
the  plains.  The  Kansas  Pacific  railroad  was  being  built 
through  the  heart  of  the  buffalo  country  in  1867.  Some 
1,500  hands  were  employed  at  that  end  of  the  route.  The  In- 
dians were  constantly  on  the  war  path,  an-1  fresh  meat  was 
difficult  to  obtain.  Hunters  were  engaged  to  kill  buffaloes 
foF  the  firm  who  had  the  contract  for  boarding  the  em- 
ployes of  the  road.  I  had  some  little  reputation  as  a  good 
shot,  especially  at  live  cattle,  so  I  was  engaged  at  a  salary  of 
$500  per  month  to  kill  buffaloes.  Twelve  of  these  huge  ani- 
mals were  required  each  day.  Nothing  but  the  hams  and 
humps  was  eaten.  I  knew  the  work  would  be  very  danger- 
ous, because  the  Indians  were  riding  all  over  the  country, 
indulging  in  their  favorite  sport  of  killing  a  white  man  v,  lieu, 
they  caught  one  alone  on  the  prairie.  But  I  agreed  to  fur- 
nish the  meat,  Indians  or  no  Indians. 

^  "  I  knew  I  would  often  be  five  or  ten  miles  from  the  road, 
Ind  was  liable  to  attack  by  the  redskins.  My  success  as  a 
meat  provider  was  so  great  that  the  road  hands  began  to  call 
me  Buffalo  Bill,  and  the  name  has  lemained  with  me.  Many 
stirring  adventures  occurred  to  m-3  during  the  seventeen 
months  I  hunted  buffaloes  for  the  Kansas  Pacific  road.  I 
killed  4,280  buffaloes,  beside  some  Indians.  My  favorite 
hunting  horse  was  Brigham,  who  was  trained  to  dash  into  a 
herd  of  wild  buffaloes  and  chase  them  until.  I  had  slain  al- 
most as  many  as  I  desired  for  the  day.  In  the  spring  of 
1868  I  was  riding  Brigham  in  a  gallop  trying  to  reach  Smoky 
Hill  river.  I  never  shall  forget  that  day.  After  twenty 
miles  of  fast  riding  I  reached  the  top  of  a  hill,  and  gazed 
down  upon  the  smiling  valley  and  the  beautiful  river  in  the 


186  INDIAN   MASSACRES. 

distance.  My  attention  was  attracted  toward  some  raoYing 
objects  in  the  distance.  They  were  half  a  mile  distant,  and  as 
soon  as  they  began  to  mount  their  horses  I  saw  that  they 
were  Indians,  and  intended  to  capture  me  if  possible. 

"  My  horse  was  somewhat  fatigued  from  the  rapid  pace  I 
had  been  traveling  and  I  doubted  whether  he  would  be  able 
to  keep  ahead  of  the  fresh  horses  of  my  pursuers.  I  resolved 
to  run  and  fight.  The  horse  seemed  to  know  my  life  de- 
pended upon  his  speed.  We  sprung  away  at  a  brisk  rate. 
The  Indians  fo'Jowed.  After  crossing  a  ravine  I  halted  a 
few  seconds  and  sized  up,  as  it  were,  the  crowd  after  me. 
They  were  Indian  braves  well  mounted  and  armed  with  rifles, 
If  Brigham  had  been  fresh  I  would  have  had  no  fears  what- 
ever about  escaping,  but  how  it  woud  result  after  my  long 
morning  ride  I  had  no  idea.  After  five  miles  of  fast  riding, 
I  discovered  that  nine  or  ten  Indians  were  only  two  hundred 
yards  behind,  strung  out  for  a  distance  of  two  miles.  My 
horse  made  a  spurt  and  for  two  or  three  miles  did  the  finest 
running  of  that  .kind  on  record.  The  Indians  had  good 
horses,  and  one  wiio  rode  #  spotted  horse  gained  on  me  far 
ahead  of  the  rest.  He  had  a  rifle  and  sent  several  bullets 
around  me  that  gave  warning  that  my  time  had  come  to 
make  a  stand,  or  get  shot  in  the  back.  I  think  Brigham 
knew  the  time  had  arrived  to  face  about  and  fight.  Sudden- 
ly I  wheeled  my  horse  and  quickiy  raising  my  rifle  to  my 
shoulder,  I  sent  a  bullet  into  the  head  of  the  spotted  animal. 
At  the  crack  of  my  rifle,  horse  and  Indian  fell  in  a  heap.  I 
suppose  they  were  some  eighty  yards  distant.  I  did  not  wait, 
but  dashed  away  with  the  speed  of  the  wind.  My  short  stop 
to  shoot  gave  the  other  Indians  time  to  gain  on  me,  and  soon 
they  began  popping  away  at  me.  I  turned  in  my  saddle  and 
fired  back  occasionally  and  succeeded  in  breaking  a  horse's 
leg.  This  left  only  seven  or  eight  ludiaus  to  continue  the 
chase.  Brigham  got  his  second  wind,  and  I  rode  rapidly 
ahead  of  them  until  I  reached  two  companies  of  soldiers, 
three  miles  from  the  railroad  track.  They  were  stationed 
there  to  protect  the  workmen.  They  heard  the  firing,  and 
came  forward  to  give  my  pursuers  a  warm  reception.  The 
Indians  had  the  tables  turned  and  beat  a  hasty  rotreat.  I 
jumped  off  my  faithful  horse  awl  to:dthe  soldier^  of  his  won- 
derful feat.  We  was  ^nite  a  hero  from  that  date.  Th«  @av- 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  187 

airy  gave  chaae  to  the  Indians,  and  I  soon  joined  them  with 
a  fresh  horse.  In  a  distance  of  five  miles  we  overtook  and 
killed  eight  of  them.  The  rest  escaped.  When  we  got  back 
to  camp  Brigham  was  quietly  grazing,  and  looked  at  me  as 
if  to  ask  if  we  had  made  any  happy  dead  Indians.  I  thiak 
really  that  horse  read  in  my  eyes  the  answer. 

"During  these  same  buffalo  hunts,  I  got  into  a  tighter 
place  than  being  chased  on  a  tired  horse.  The  road  had  been 
pushed  near  the  Saline  river,  I  had  a  man,  '  Scotty,'  to  go 
along  in  a  light  wagon  to  cut  up  the  buffalo  meat  and  haul 
it  to  camp.  One  day  I  had  killed  fifteen  buffaloes,  and  we 
s  tarted  for  home  with  a  wragon  load  of  niie  meat.  We  were 
eight  miles  from  camp  when  \ve  suddenly  came  upon  a  party 
of  thirty  Indians,  who  rode  out  of  the  head  of  a  ravine.  It 
happened  this  day  that  I  was  on  an  excellent  horse  that  be- 
longed to  the  railroad  company,  and  could  easily  have  made 
my  escape.  But  I  had  no  idea  of  deserting  Scotty,  who  was 
driving  a  pair  of  mules  to  the  wagon.  Of  course  Scotty  and 
I  had  often  planned  how  \ve  would  defend  ourselves  if  sud- 
denly attacked  by  Indians.  In  a  few  minutes  \ve  unhitched 
the  mules  and  tied  them  and  my  horse  to  the  rear  of  the 
wagon.  We  then  threw  the  large  buffalo  hams  on  the 
ground  and  built  a  breastwork  around  tl^e  wheels.  We  had 
an  extra  box  of  ammunition  and  four  extra  revolvers,  the 
emergency  battery  we  were  forced  always  to  carry  along. 
Behind  our  hastily  built  breastwork  we  were  prepared  to 
give  a  warm  reception.  We  didn't  have  long  to  wait.  They 
rushed  at  us  \v ith  all  the  noise  and  yelling  euthusiasam  of 
which  the  red  man  is  capable.  AVe  opened  such  a  lively  fire 
that  they  stopped  a  direct  attack  and  began  to  circle  around 
us.  Then  of  a  sudden  they  made  a  concentrated  attack.  It  was 
no  more  successful  than  the  first,  but  they  killed  both  of  the 
mule  i  and  the  horse.  They  charged  back  and  forth  "several 
times,  and  Scotty  and  I  killed  three  within  a  few  yards  oJ 
our  breastworks.  It  was  a  scorching  hot  place  for  a  time. 
The  three  braves  dead  and  others  wounded  dispirited  the 
Indians  as  to  direct  attacks,  and  they  adopted  other  tactics. 

"  They  got  off  at  some  distance,  behind  little  knolls,  and 
t/ied  long  range  warfare.  We  were  besieged,  and  our  only 
chance  for  escape  was  a  rescue  from  the  railroad  camp,  where 
Vroops  were  stationed.  We  had  been  expecting,  sooner  or 


188  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

later,  to  be  caught  up  by  Indians  in  such  a  manner  while 
buffalo  hunting.  I  had  an  understanding  with  the  officer 
who  commanded  the  troops,  that  whenever  their  pickets  saw 
a  smoke  in  the  direction  of  our  hunting  grounds,  they  were 
to  know  we  were  attacked  by  Indians.  Scotty  and  I  kept 
very  close  in  our  breastwork,  subject  to  a  rakiog  fire  from 
the  little  army  around  us.  We  held  a  councilor  war,  aid 
concluded  we  could  not  fight  our  way  out,  but  must  get  re- 
lief. Scotty  kept  up  a  diversion  by  concentrating  his  fire  in 
a  certain  locality.  In  a  few  minutes  I  struck  a  match,  and 
quicker  than  I  can  tell  you  reached  over  a-'td  set  the  grass  oa 
lire  to  the  leeward  of  our  fort.  The  red  warriors  began  a 
war  dance  at  what  they  co  sidered  a  piece  of  folly.  None  of 
them  suspected  that  I  had  given  a  signal  for  aid.  While  the 
thick  volumes  of  smoke  rolled  upward  and  the  flames  spread 
rapidly  over  the  prairie,,  the  Indians  made  another  attack, 
but  were  repulsed.  It  began  to  look  as  if  we  were  cut  off, 
and  would  have  to  fight  there  for  hours.  Scotty  was  plucky, 
and  we  resolved  to  end  our  existence  in  making  a  gallant 
fight,  rescue  or  no  res-cue.  In  an  hour  or  so  after  the  prairie 
was  fired,  I  heard  the  neighing  of  steeds,  and  soon  saw  a 
company  of  soldiers  riding  rapidly  toward  us.  The  Indians 
saw  them  too,  andfbegan  a  hasty  retreat  down  the  canyons 
of  the  creek.  We  shouted  to  the  advancing  troops  that  we 
were  alive,  but  our  mules  and  horses  were  dead.  Five  dead 
Indians  were  discovered  on  the  battlefield  around  our  little 
breastwork.  Scotty  and  I  didn't  do  such  bad  work  after  all. 
How  many  were  wounded  and  carried  off  we  had  no  mea;is 
of  ascertaining." 

The  circumstances  of  his  duel  with  Yellow  Hand,  Mr.  Cody 
gave  as  follows : 

The  £  ioux  war  broke  out  in  1873.  Gen.  Custer  was  slain  on 
the  25th  of  June,  when  I  was  acting  as  scout  for  the  Fifth 
Cavalry,  under  Gen.  Merritt.  We  were  on  our  way  to  Fort 
Laramie  when  the  news  reached  us  that  Custer  and  his  gal- 
lant troops  had  been  massacred  on  the  Little  Big  Horn.  We 
started  back  to  join  Gen.  Crook  in  the  Big  Horn  country, 
when  we  received  word  that  80  )  Cheyenne  warriors  had  that 
day  left  the  Bed  Cloud  Agency  t:>  join  -Sitting  Bull's  forces. 
Gen.  Merritt  resolved  to  intercept  the  Cheyennes.  He  se- 
lected 500  men  and  horses,  and  pushed  rapidly  to  War  Bon- 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  189 

net  Creek.  O.i  July  17th,  1376,  I  discovered  the  Cheyen.nes. 
They  did  not  see  oar  troops.  Gea  Merritt,  several  aids  and 
I  went  ahead,  and  saw  the  Indians  advancing  directly  toward 
us.  Suddenly  twenty  or  thirty  of  them  dashed  off  in  a  west- 
ern direction.  With  our  field  glasses  we  discovered  t 
mounted  soldiers,  perhaps  bringing  dispatches  to  us,  riding 
rapidly  forward  on  our  trail.  The  Indians  were  endeavoring 
to  intercept  them.  The  general  did  not  deem  it  wise  to  send 
soldiers  to  the  aid  of  the  couriers,  because  it  would  discover 
to  the  Indians  that  troops  were  in  the  vicinity  waiting  to  at- 
tack them.  1  was  commissioned  to  go  back  to  the  command, 
pick  out  fifteen  scouts,  and  rescue  the  couriers.  Just  as  tii<> 
Indians  began  to  charge  the  two  soldiers  I  dashed  with  my 
scouts  to  intercept  them.  A  sharp  running  light  took  place. 
and  we  killed  three  of  their  number.  The  main  body  of  In 
dians  appeared  in  sight,  and  the  skirmishers—the  Indians  we 
were  chasing — took  courage  and  charged  us.  A  lively  little 
fight  occurred,  and  we  checked  their  advance.  We  were 
perhaps  half  a  mile  from  'Gen.  Merritt,  wno  kept  an  eye  on 
our  movements.  A  big  chief,  gorgeously  attired  with  top 
plumes  and  royal  paraphernalia,  rode  out  in  front  on  a  mag- 
nificent horse,  and,  in  his  own  language,  challenged  me  to 
mortal  combat.  He  said  : 

'"I  know  you,   Pa-he-haska;  if  you  want  to  fight,  come 
ahead  and  fight  me.' 

"  I  accepted  and  galloped  forward  to  meet  him.    I  ad- 
vanced fifty  yards  and  he  about  the  same  distauce.    We  were 
at  full  speed  when  we  came  within  thirty  yards  of  each  other. 
I  raised  my  rifle  and  shot  his  horse  dead  in  his  tracks.    At 
the  same  instant  my  horse  stepped  into  a  hole  and  fell.     I 
was  not  injured  by  my  horse's  fall  and  sprang  upon  my 
The  Indian  arose  as  quickly  as  I  did  and  faced  me  not  t.v. 
ty  steps  distant.     We  both  raised  our  rifles  and  fired  at  i 
same  time.    He  missed  me  and  my  bullet  pierced  his  bre:;,s     ' 
In  a  second  I  v  as  on  Mm  and  drove  my  knife  to  the  hiiL 
his  heart.    Then  I  pulled  off  his  war  bonnet  and  scalped  1: 
in  the  most  approved  Indian  style.    The  Indians^secm^tl. 
chief  slain,  charged  upon  me.    Col.  Mason,  with  Compaiv, 
came  to  my  assistance  and  drove  the  enemy  back.    As  t 
soldiers  galloped  up  I  held  up  the  scalp  and  the  war  bonnet 
and  shouted :  '  The  first  scalp  for  Ouster  !'    The  chief  killed 


190  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

was  Yellow  Hand,  son  of  old  Cut-nose.  The  latter  offered 
me  four  mules  to  deliver  up  his  son's  scalp,  war  bonnet,  and 
arms.  I  haven't  complied  With  old  Cut-nose's  desire  yet, 
and  still  keep  the  dead  chieftain's  war  outfit  " 


INDIAN  .MASS  A  CUES.  191 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

EXPLOITS  OF  OUTLAWS  IN  THE  INDIAN    TERRITORY— THE  STARK  AND 
WADE  GANGS— BILL  PIGEON. 

A  FEW  reminiscences  of  the  old  time  outlaws  in  the  Indian 
Territory  will  be  interesting  to  everybody.  They  were  nearly 
all  of  mixed  Indian  and  white  blood,  but  so  much  more  dar- 
ing were  their  exploits,  so  much  more  desperate  their  char- 
acter, that  the  exploits  of  the  Cook  gang  appear  as  mere 
boys'  play  when  compared  to  their  deeds  of  outlawry.  The 
most  notorious  of  these  old-time  outlaws,  says  the  St.  Louis 
'•  ^-Democrat,  was  Henry  Starr,  long  since  dead.  Much 
of  the  story  of  his  life  is  shrouded  in  obscurity,  but  it  is 
known  positively  that  he  alone  killed  over  seventy  men, 
fully  a  dozen  of  his  victims  having  been  felled  with  a  single 
blow  of  his  mighty  fist.  He  was  a  Cherokee,  with  a  tinge 
of  Seminole  blood,  nearly  seven  feet  tall,  massively  built,  and 
with  an  arm  and  fist  like  a  sledg-.-hainmer.  He  terrorized 
the  whole  Cherokee  Nation  for  years,  and  so  great  became 
his  power  that  the  Cherokee  Council  fl'ially  entered  into  a 
regular  treaty  of  peace  with  him,  granting  him  amnesty  from 
all  past  deeds  if  he  would  cease  his  outlawry— the  only  in- 
stance on  record  of  a  nation  entering  into  a  treaty  of  peace 
with  a  single  individual. 

At  one  time  $10,000  reward  was  offered  for  Starr's  head  and 
$5,000  for  the  head  of  one  of  his  lieutenants.  One  day  the 
lieutenant  was  killed  by  the  accidental  discharge  of  a  gun  at 
the  outlaw  camp,  and  Starr  cut  off  his  head,  and  putting  it  in 
a  sack,  went  to  Tahlequah,  the  Cherokee  capital,  and  walk- 
ing boldly  into  the  office  of  the  national  treasurer,  cov- 
ered the  officer  with  a  revolver,  took  the  gory  head  from  the 
sack,  and  laying  it  on  the  table  compelled  the  officer  to  pay 
over  the  $5,000  offered  for  the  head,  then  walked  out,  mount- 
ed his  horse  and  escaped. 

After  the  treaty  of  peace  the  old  man  lived  quietly  for  a 
number  of  years  and  died  a  natural  death. 

In  later  years  one  of  the  most  cunning  of  outlaws  was  Bill 
Starr,  a  granduephew  of  Henry,  and  father  of  the  notorious 
Belle  Starr.  He  did  not  turn  outlaw  until  well  along  in 


192  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

years,  but  in  a  short  time  became  the  leader  of  one  of  the 
most  adroit  gangs  of  thieves  that  has  ever  infested  the  In- 
dian country.  He  was  not  a  common  thief,  and  in  one  sense 
was  not  actively  in  the  business,  being  rather  a  superintend- 
ent or  general  manager.  His  gang  was  large  in  numbers, 
and  he  had  spies  in  every  town,  trading  post  and  community 
in  the  territory  and  adjoining  states.  He  did.  not  make  a 
practice  of  stealing  for  fun  or  excitement,  but  was  in  it  for 
business,  and  would  take  only  the  best  and  when  he  was  sure 
of  a  large  return  for  the  work,  but  once  making  up  his  mind 
to  steal  a  thing,  there  was  nothing  at  which  he  would  hesi- 
tate. There  was  not  much  ready  cash  in  the  territory  to 
steal  in  those  days,  and  they  confine i  their  work  mostly  to 
stealing  horses.  A  member  of  the  gang  in  a  neighborhood 
would  take  a  fine  horse,  ride  it  a  few  miles  and  turn  it  over 
to  a  confederate,  who  would  do  the  same,  which  procedure 
would  be  repeated  in  turn  by  a  dozen  different  men,  and  as 
each  one  would  be  at  home  the  next  morning  detection  was 
almost  impossible. 

The  gang  had  a  cipher  language  whereby  they  could  con- 
verse intelligently  among  themselves  about  their  work,  and 
an  outsider  listening  would  think  them  conversing  about 
some  ordinary  topic.  Occasionly,  when  there  was  some  par- 
ticularly valuable  horse  to  be  stolen,  Starr  himself  would  do 
the  work.  He  was  an  expert  blacksmith,  would  carry  shoei  ng 
tools  along  with  him,  and  after  riding  the  horse  a  half  day 
would  take  the  shoes  off  and  put  them  on  backward.  Thus 
those  in  pursuit  were  fooled,  and  it  was  a  long  time  before 
they  discovered  his  strategy.  They  would  be  on  the  trail  all 
risht  following  the  horse's  tracks,  when,  suddenly  the  foot- 
prints would  be  reversed,  indicating  that  the  animal  had 
been  traveling  in  the  very  opposite  direction.  Had  they  fol- 
lowed the  trail  sufficiently  long  they  would  have  come  to  a 
place  where  the  tracks  again  changed,  but  they  seldom  went 
far  enough,  and  gave  up  the  chase  in  disgust. 

Belle  Starr  was  a  lit  successor  to  her  father,  and  led  a  gang 
equally  as  daring.  The  narration  of  a  single  one  of  their  ex- 
ploits will  serve  to  show  the  character  of  the  work  they  did. 
While  Major  Neal  was  agent  of  the  Sac  and  Fox  Indians, 
Belle  Starr  and  her  brother  Frank  and  Bill  and  John  Wade 
drove  up  to  the  agency  with  a  barrel  of  whisky,  and  in  plain 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  198 

view  of  the  agent's  quarters  and  the  officers  of  the  Indian 
police,  began  selling  the  fiery  liquid  to  the  Indians,  two  of 
the  gang  keeping  up  a  constant  firing  into  the  agency  build- 
ings with  Winchesters.  They  sold  as  long  as  any  of  the  In- 
dians had  money  to  buy,  and  then  drove  leisurely  away.  The 
Wades  were  captured  soon  after,  and  bought  their  freedom 
by  turning  traitor  and  delivering  Frank  Starr  to  the  officers, 
who  turned  him  over  to  the  Texas  authorities,  where  he  was 
given  a  life  sentence  for  murder. 

The  last  of  the  old  school  of  outlaws  was  Ned  Christy  and 
Bill  Pigeon,  both  Cherokees.  Christy  led  many  a  daring 
raid  years  ago,  in  a  stone  fort  in  the  mountains  of  the 
Creek  country,  defying  the  deputies  and  repulsing  attack 
after  attack,  only  to  at  last  fall  a  victim  of  treachery.  He 
was  shot  down  by  a  traitorous  member  of  his  gang,  who 
agreed  to  deliver  him  to  the  officers  for  a  monetary  consider- 
ation. 

In  the  mountain  fastnesses  forty  miles  northwest  of  Mul- 
drow,  in  the  Cherokee  Nation,  in  1894,  lived  Bill  Pigeon,  over 
80  years  of  age,  the  only  surviving  member  of  the  old-time 
outlaw  bands.  For  nearly  half  a  century  a  fugitive  from  jus- 
tice, a  man  after  whom  the  officers  sought  vigilantly  for 
years  and  for  whose  arrest  large  rewards  were  offered— a  man 
whose  hands  in  the  past  were  often  steeped  in  crime— he  then 
lived  in  quiet  obscurity,asking  to  be  let  alone  to  die  in  peace. 

It  appears  he  did  not  at  first  become  an  outlaw  from  choice. 
For  a  long  time  he  was  engaged  in  bringing  whisky  into  the 
territory  fn  large  quantities,  and  was  very  successful  in 
eluding  the  officers.  After  a  long  chase  the  deputies  cor- 
nered him  once,  and  he  was  in  such  close  quarters  that  he 
was  compelled  to  kill  a  deputy  to  escape.  A  price  was  then 
put  on  his  head,  and  from  that  clay  he  plunged  into  the  wild- 
est of  crime  and  became  an  outlaw  whose  acts  terrorized  the 
whole  Southwest.  Alene  he  committed  many  deeds  at  which 
the  Cook  or  Dalton  gangs  would  quail,  and  many  a  wild  chase 
he  led  the  deputy  marshals  and  the  Indian  police  over  the 
territory.  Finally,  wearying  of  this  carnival  of  crime,  he  re- 
tired to  the  mountains  and  settled  down  to  live  a  quiet  lif« 
with  a  wife  whose  influence  and  promise  to  marry  him  were 
undoubtedly  the  greatest  motives  leading  him  to  give  up  his 
wild  life. 


194  '    INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

Entrenched  among  the  wild  hills  and  passes,  it  is  said  that 
several  marshals  and  detectires  who  had  gone  to  hie  home  in 
disguise  never  returned  to  tell  the  tale  of  their  adventures, 
and  other  officers  who  scouted  in  the  vicinity  received  such 
effective  warnings  that  nothing  could  ever  induce  them  to 
return.  Peputy  marshals  and  other  officers  gave  him  a 
wide  berth,  and  to  the  outside  world  the  name  of  Bill  Pigeon, 
the  Cherokee  outlaw,  is  almost  forgotten. 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  195 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

DUELS  FOUGHT  BY  INDIANS— ONE  WITH  RIFLES  ANB  ANOTHER  WITH 

KNIVES. 

AN  old  scout  recently  i'urnislra  1  the  Cincinnati  Enquirer 
with  an  account  of  two  Indian  duels  witnessed  by  him, which 
is  here  reproduced.  The  first  one  occurred  at  Standing  Rock 
Agency,  Dakota,  in  187i;,  between  Scout  Shave  Head  and 
Chief  Crooked  Neck  of  the  Hunkpapa  Sioux.  "  It  was  a  per- 
formance that  would  have  called  for  applause  from  the  most 
critical  audience  that  ever  witnessed  a  Spanish  bull  fight," 
says  the  writ  *r.  "  Shave  Head  was  one  of  the  Indian  police 
who  w»s  killed  while  attempting  the  arrest  of  Sitting  Bull  in 
the  winter  of  1893.  In  1876, 1  was  interpreter  and  chief  of 
scouts  at  Fort  Yates,  near  Standing  Rock  Agency,  where  I 
had  thirty  Sioux  Indian  scouts  under  my  command,  who 
were  selected  from  the  friendly  bands  and  quartered  at  the 
military  post  with  their  families.  The  military  authorities 
'  rations  only  to  the  scouts,  while  their  families  drew 
from  the  Indian  agent.  The  beef  was  slaughtered  on  the 
east  bank  of  the  river,  the  Indians  crossing  in  boats. 

"  I  usually  accompanied  the  scouts  when  they  went  for 
their  beef.  About  150  Texas  steers  were  killed  every  two 
weeks.  These  were  parcelled  out  to  the  several  bands,  be- 
ginning with  the  largest,  who  would  receive  twelve  or  fifteen 
head  as  their  share,  the  next  ten  or  twelve,  and  so  on  to  the 
smaller  bands,  who  '.voukl  get  two  or  three,  according  to 
their  number.  Lastly,  single  families,  not  members  of 
bands,  were  given  beef  by  themselves,  one  steer  to  four  fam- 
ilies, or  a  quarter  to  each.  The  scouts,  half  breeds  and 
squaw-men,  were  among  this  number.  The  trouble  which 
terminated  in  the  duel  between  Shave  Head  and  Crooked 
Neck  began  over  the  issue  of  beef. 

"Shave  Head,  Crooked  Neck,  Charley  Pappan,  a  half 
breed,  and  the  Widow  MoCarty,  a  squaw  who  had  been  mar- 
ried to  a  white  man,  were  given  a  quarter  each  in  the  last 
beef  issued.  Shave  Head,  Pappan,  and  the  widow  immedi- 
ately began  skinning  the  beef,  when  Crooked  Neck  ap- 
proached the  scout,  and,  placing  his  hand  on  his  shoulder, 


196  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

pushed  him  violently  aside,  saying :  '  You  belong  to  the  sol- 
diers ;  you  have  no  right  here ;  go  to  the  fort  for  your  beef.' 

"I  stood  not  more  than  fifty  feet  away.  Shave  Head  cast 
one  look  of  defiance  at  his  assailant  and  then  came  to  me 
and  said,  pointing  at  Crooked  Neck :  '  That  man  has  drive  a 
me  away  from  my  beef.  If  I  was  not  under  your  command 
I  would  know  what  to  do,  but  now  I  await  your  orders.  If 
you  leave  me  free  to  act  he  is  not  man  enough  to  keep  me 
away  from  my  beef.' 

"  I  answered  that  since  the  agent  had  given  him  a  quarter 
of  that  beef  it  was,  therefore,  his,  and  he  had  a  perfect  right 
to  take  it. 

"  '  Then,'  said  he,  '  tell  that  man  to  keep  away  from  me.' 
I  answered  that  Crooked  Neck  did  not  belong  -to  my  com- 
pany and  I  had  no  authority  over  him. 

"  *  Very  well,'  said  the  scout.  '  I  shall  t-ike  my  beef,'  and 
rejoining  the  others  he  again  offered  to  assist  in  dressing 
the  beef,  only  to  be  again  thrust  away  by  Crooked  Neck. 
This  time  he  gave  utterance  to  that  savage  growl,  which, 
ence  heard,  can  never  be  forgotten,  and  climbing  out  of  the 
slaughter  pen  on  the  north  side,  and  taking  his  rifle  from  his 
wife,  he  turned  to  the  left,  coming  out  on  that  side  of  the 
corral  facing  the  river.  Crooked  Neck,  seizing  his  rifle, 
went  out  of  the  corral  on  the  south  side,  and,  turning  to  the 
right,  the  two  combatants  met  face  to  face  on  the  west  side 
of  the  corral.  Between  them  was  the  agency  wagon,  which 
was  backed  up  to  the  fence  to  receive  the  beef.  The  first 
shot  was  fired  by  Chief  Crooked  Neck  over  the  rear  end  of 
the  wagon.  The  driver,  supposing  that  he  was  the  object  of 
attack,  frantically  whipped  up  his  mules,  leaving  a  clear  field 
between  the  two  enraged  warriors,  who  were  not  more  than ' 
ten  yards  apart.  Talk  about  an  Indian  war  dance  !  Here 
was  executed  a  dance  that  surpassed  anything  of  the  kind  I 
ever  saw.  Shave  Head  was  the  most  agile  of  the  two,  jump- 
ing from  side  to  side,  rearing  high  in  the  air,  and  again  bend- 
ing low  down  to  the  ground,  all  the  time  keeping  his  eye 
fixed  on  his  foe  and  his  gun  ready  for  use.  The  corral  had 
been  surrounded  by  not  less  than  1,000  Indians,  men,  wom- 
en and  children,  but  when  the  firing  began  they  had  surged 
to  one  side,  leaving  the  space  in  the  rear  of  each  combatant 
clear. 


INDIAN     MASSACRES.  107 

second  shot  was  again  fired  by  Crooked  Neck,  but 
Lissed  his  mark,  and  during  the  instant  required 
:  hrow  another  cartridge  into  place,  Shavo  Head, 
liil  as  a  statue,  took  aim  and  fired.  The  ball  struck 
','eck  in  the  hip,  which  crippled  him  so  that  he  had 
but  one  leg  to  danco  on.    As  soon  as  Shave  Head  fired  he  le- 

•  his  dancing,  keeping  it  up  until  his  antagonist  fired 
again,  when  he  repeated  his  former  tactics,  pausing  in  bis 

•  while  he  took  aim  and  fired.    This  time  he  brought 
Crooked  Neck  down  with  a  bullet  through  his  breast.    He 

.•ward  on  his  face,  his  gun  uador  him.  His  friends 
pressed  forward,  holding  up  their  hands  and  calling  upon 
the  scout  to  desist  -he  had  killed  his  man. 

"But  Shave  Head  was  determined  to  make  it  a  sure  thing. 
First  pointing  his  gun  toward  tha  crowd  to  warn  them  back, 
he  advanced  to  the  prostrate  Indian  and,  holding  the  muzzle 
of  his  gun  within  two  feet  of  his  victim,  fired  three  shots  into 
his  head.  He  then  resumed  his  dancing,  and  facing  tha 
crowd  he  moved  backward  to  the  river,  and  leaping  into  a 
boat  was  rowed  to  the  west  side,  where  I  found  him  later 
away  out  on  the  prairie  performing  the  Indian  rite  for  purifi- 
cation after  shedding  blood. 

"  The  last  duer  of  which  I  was  a  witness  was  fought  with 
knives.  It  was  in  187 1.  A  party  of  tourists  were  visiting 
the  agency  at  Standing  Eock,  Dak.,  and  wishing  to  see  an 
Indian  camp  by  night  they  applied  to  me  for  an  escort. 

ave  them  three  of  my  best  scouts,  and  soon  after 
hey  started  for  Wolf  Mecklace's  camp,  four  miles  up 
the  river.    They  had  been  gone  about  two  hours  when  a  war- 
rior came  down  from  the  camp  and  reported  that  the  tour- 
ists were  giving  the  Indians  whisky.    I   mounted  a  horse 
and  role  swiftly  to  the  camp.    Tying  my  horse  to  a  tree,    ; 
y  among  the  tepees,  in  one  of  which  I  recognize  i 
of  one  of  my  scouts  sent  as  an  escort  for  the  tour 
;sts.  ;  the  tepee,  I  found  the  scout  Good-Tone.; 

•"ith  his  back  to  the  door,  his  face  to  the  firo. 
j  burning  in  the  middle  of  the  tepee.     There   was 
•  lier  occupant,  Kill  The  Bear,  who  sat   directly  op- 
posite the  scout,  the  fire  between  them.    A  quart  bottle  half 
filled  with  whisky  stood  on  the  ground  near  the  fire  at  the 
scout's  right  hand.    Turning  to  the  right  as  I  entered,  I 


108  INDIAN    MASSACRES. 

took  a  seat  facing  the  firs  mid  way  bet  ween  the  two  Indians. 
I  had  exacted  a  promise  from  all  of  my  scouts  not  to  drink 
whisky,  so  I  said  to  Good-Toned  Metal,  '  Is  this  th®  way, 
you  keep  your  promise  ?  ' 

"  'The  son  of  a  great  man  in  Washington,'  h©  answered, 
'  gave  me  this  whisky,  and  I  felt  bound  to  honor  him  by 
drinking  it.  It  is  good  whisky.  Take  some  yourself.' 

"'No, 'I  replied, 'I  will  not  drink  from  this  bottle,  nor 
will  any  one  else ;'  and  reaching  over  I  took  the  bottle  in  my 
hand  and  tapped  it  sharply  against  a  stone  which  lay  near 
the  fire,  breaking  the  bottle  and  spilling  the  contents. 

"  Not  a  word  was  spoken  for  fully  a  minute,  when  Kill  The 
Bear  broke  the  silence  by  saying  to  Good-Toned  Metal :  '  I 
thought  this  white  man  was  your  friend.' 

"  '  He  is  my  friend,'  responded  the  latter. 

"  'Your  friend  destroyed  your  whiskey.' 

<! '  He  has  a  right  to  do  as  he  pleases  with  my  whisky.' 

"  '  Huh  ! '  contemptuously,  '1  thought  you  were  a  brave 
man.' 

"  Kill  The  Bear  no  doubt  said  this  with  the  intention  of 
turning  the  scout  against  me,  but  he  made  the  greatest  mis- 
take of  his  life.  Good-Toned  Metal  had  imbibed  just  enough 
whisky  to  make  him  a  dangerous  man,  and  the  sneering 
words  of  Kill  The  Bear  aroused  all  the  demoniacal  savagery 
of  his  nature.  His  face  expressing  all  the  ferocity  of  a  wild 
beast,  his  eyes  flashing  defiance  upon  Kill  The  Bear,  lie  an- 
swered ;  '  I  am  brave  !  Are  you  ?  ' 

"  'Yes,'  came  the  reply. 

"  'Are  you  brave  enough  to  die ?  ' 

"'Yes.' 

"  f  Then  draw  your  knife.' 

"Two  bright  blades  flashed  in  the  firelight.  Without  ris- 
ing to  their  feet  they  crane  together,  fighting  over  the  fire 
and  scattering  coals  in  every  direction.  Good-Toned  Metal, 
with  his  knees  in  the  fj re,  thrust  his  knife  to  the  hilt  into 
Kill  The  Bear's  neck,  severing  the  great  artery  at  the  first 
blow.  At  every  beat  of  the  heart  great  streams  of  blood, 
spurted  o^.t,  covering  everything  in  the  tepee,  myself  includ- 
ed. Kill  The  Bear  sank  back  dead.  But  the  scout  was  not 
done. 

"  His  savage  instinct  was  aroused,  and  he  continued  to 


MASSACRES,  i:9& 

toury  "u*^  i&ife  1&  fih0  flesh  of  his  victim,  at  each  thr^o  utter- 
ing tha*  blood-curdling  growl.  Indiana  upon  the  cutside, 
hearing  the  Disturbance,  seized  the  tapee,  and,  turning  it 
over,  liberated  me  and  exposed  the  horrifying  scene  to  hun- 
dreds who  hastily  gathered  about  th~  ^lace.  Yet  unmindful 
of  the  multitude,  and  heedless  of  the  fact  thai  his  feet  were 
:n  thofire,  tho^cCv..  ;-•"+'>  uc-'1  ^  wreak  his  vengear 
the  body  of  the  man  who  had  dared  to  question  his  bravery. 
Tiring  at  last,  he  rose  to  his  feet,  glared  wildly  about,  and 
seeing  a  horse  near  by,  he  mounted  it  and  rode  niadly  into 
the  hills,  where  he  remained  t§& days,  ofeservl?!^  'be Indian 
rites  for  DUxiliOAHon  ^' 


SITTING  BULL. 


INDIAN  MASSACKBS.  201 


CHAPTER  XXIT. 

SITTING  BULL'S  LAST  FIGHT — THE  MYSTERIOUS  ©HOST  DANCE— PRF- 
LIMJNARIES  OF  THE  LAST  ENCOUNTER  BETWEEN  INDIANS  AN» 
GOVERNMENT  TROOPS. 

THE  death  of  Sitting  Bull,  the  famous  Sioux  chief,  was  pro 
cipitated  by  a  new  craze  among  several  tribes  of  Indians, 
which  it  is  necessary  to  briefly  describe  here,  and  which  l«vl 
up  to  Sitting  Bull's'capture  and  death.  Ten  or  twelve  years 
ago  an  Indian  by  the  name  of  Smohalla  advanced  the  doc- 
trine of  the  expected  advent  of  a  red  Savior  or  Messiah,  and 
the  new  belief  spread  rapidly  through  all  the  Western  tribes, 
and  Red  Cloud  prophesied  that  it  would  spread  over  all  the 
earth.  Smohalla  theorized  that  there  would  be  an  upheaval 
of  nature  which  would  destroy  the  eighty  millions  of  whites 
in  the  United  States  and  that  the  dust  of  countless  dead  In- 
dians would  spring  to  life  to  occupy  their  former  posses- 
sions. 

The  apostles  of  this  new  creed  instituted  a  sacred  or  ghost 
dance  in  honor  of  the  dead  braves  who  were  to  be  resurrect- 
ed, possibly  at  a  moment's  notice.    The  performance  of  this 
religious  ceremony  was  similar  to  the  old  May-polo  dance  of 
our  ancestors.    Arranged  in  a  circle,  about  300  of  them,  al- 
ternately a  man  and  a  woman,  they  went  round  and  round 
in  the  same  direction,  uttering  a  dirge  or  ghostly  cha 
Frequently  a  dancer  would  fall  exhausted,  when  he  would  be 
carried  away.    It  was  claimed  that  in  this  swoon  the  Indian 
communed  with  his  Messiah.    Sitting  Bull,  the  deadly  foe 
of  white  men,  took  advantage  of  this  craze  to  inilame  the  In- 
dians and  prepare  for  war.    He  had  about  three  thousand 
warriors  under  him  at  the  time  the  Interior  Department 
transferred  the  control  of  the  Indians  of  North  Dakota  to  \ 
the  War  Department,  by  order  of  the  President.    Th> 
ossion  of  all  the  rifles  captured  at  the  Ouster  ni: 
and  an  immense  stock  of  ammunition  procured  from  trades 
men.     About  three  thousand  regulars  were  massed  at  the 
Pine  Ridge  Agency  to  combat  any  violence  on  the  part  of 
Sitting  Bull's  followsrs,  and  an  order  was  .^ivon  to  the  In- 
dian police  to  arrest  the  dangerous  old  chief.    The  circum- 


lyDi.AN  Miosv,.  K-:^ 

stances  attending  tne  carrying  out  of  thitf  order  are  i-oid  by  a 
correspondent  of  the  L'tdies'  Hom.e  Companion  ot  Spring- 
field, Ohio,  fully  aad  graphically,  as  follows : 

The  order  directed  that  the  Indian,  police  make  the  arrest, 
and  that  the  troops  should  bo  near  enough  to  aid  in  case  of  a 
resistance,  which  was  not  contemplated  by  the  authorities. 

There  had  been  rumors  flying  around  the  post  and  agency 
for  days,  that  the  authorities  were  going  to  cut  short  the  so- 
called  "  Messiah's  coming,"  if  stopping  the  "  ghost  dance" 
would  do  it,  and  everyone  had  been  on -the  qvi  vlve  as  to 
how  it  would  be  effected.  Now  it  was  settled.  The  old  med- 
iclne-man  had  been  making  things  lively  for  some  time, 
clown  on  Grand  river,  forty  miles  away,  and  had  been  or- 
dered by  the  agent  to  cease  his  dancing,  and  come  into  the 
post  and  have  a  talk.  But  he  would  have  none  of  the  agent's 
talk  or  talk  from  any  one  els  '  and  danced  longer  and  sang 
louder  than  ever  before.  He  claimed  that  he  and  the  com- 
ing Messiah  would  fix  things,  and  when  the  latter  would 
come  the  white  man  would  have  to  stand  from  under ;  so  he 
not  only  absoi  utely  refused  to  go  to  the  authorities  to  talk 
matters  over,but  coolly  proposed  to  them  that  as  they  were  so 
much  interests  I  in  his"  prayer-meeting/'  they  would  better 
come  to  his  place  with  lots  to  eat,  and  there  have  a  council. 
Pei  h  ips  lie  might  intercede  for  them  "With  the  Great  Spirit, 
and  make  things  more  pleasant  for  them  than  it  would  be  if 
he  did  not  interfere  to  save  them  from  the  wrath  to  come 

So  it  had  gone,  nothing  definite  being  settled  one  way  or 
the  other,  the  disaffected  and  the  curious  flocking  to  Sitting 
Bull's  camp  all  the  time.  As  they  all  went  with  ponies,  guns 
and  ammunition,  it  did  look  promising  for  an  interesting 
time  ahead  for  somebody.  Now  the  climax  had  arrived,  and 
the  long  interim  between  the  time  of  the  dancing  and  the 
various  little  messages,  pacific  and  otherwise,  that  had  gone 
between  the  agent  and  the  rebellious  Indians,  was  to  be 
brought  to  a  sudden  close.  The  powers  that  be  had  at  last 
recognized  the  fact  that  this  so-called  "ghost  dance,"  with 
its  attendant  evils  of  discontent  and  disobedience  to  all  rec- 
ognized authority,  could  not  go  on  indefinitely ;  and  so  it 
came  that  the  messenger  bearing  the  momentous  telegram 
from  headquarters  to  the  commanding  officer  went  with 
quicker  steps  aud  sober  imsn  to  that  officer's  quarters,  and 


INDIAN   MASSACRES.  203 

fc. 

delivered  the  message.  How  thase  tbimgs  get  abroad  BO 
on*  knows ;  but  it  was  a  fact  that  before  the  official  notice  of 
the  receipt  of  the  telegram  was  promulgated,  nearly  every 
man,  woman  and  child  in  the  post  knew  that  some  move- 
ment of  importance  was  going  on,  and  the  shrewd  gu  -ss- 
ers  were  not  long  in  doubt  as  to  the  nature  and  place  of  the 
move. 

The  commanding  officer,  sitting  in  his  warm  and  comfort- 
able quarters,  was  looking  over  his  evening's  mail,  and 
blessing  the  fates  that  kept  hi; n  indoors  on  such  a  night  as 
this ;  but  thirty  years'  service  prepares  a  man  for  anything, 
and  simply  telling  the  messenger,  "Very  well,  I  will  be  at 
the  office  immediately,"  he  stopped  to  don  his  cape,  and  in  a 
moment  the  gray-haired  chief  was  at  headquarters.  Calling 
his  orderly,  he  said  : 

''Give  my  compliments  to  the  post  adjutant,  and  tell  him 
I  want  to  see  him  immediately." 

On  the  arrival  of  the  adjutant  the  colonel  said  : 

"  Mr.  B,  I  have  received  orders  to  arrest  Sitting  Bull. 
Have  the  officers  assemble  here  at  once  to  receive  their  in- 
structions.*' 

With  a  "Certainly,  colonel,"  the  soldierly  form  disap- 
peared, to  be  follov/od  almost  instantly  by  the  clear,  martial 
strains  of  the  bugle,  ringing  out  across  the  parade-ground, 
and  "officers' call''  echoed  and  re-echoed  throughout  the 
garrison,  causing  sudden  silence  in  the  quarters,  and  mak- 
ing painfully  distinct  to  straining  senses,  on  the  alert  for  the 
least  sign  or  sound,  the  shutting  of  the  doors  at  the  officers' 
quarters,  as  these  gentlemen  issued  hastily  forth,  till- 
on  capes  and  overcoats  and  buckling  on  sword  belts. 

By  this  time  the  officers  were  all  at  the  colonel's  office, 
prepared  for  anything  that  might  come.  A  keen  glance  at 
the  interested  faces  around  him,  and  the  colonel  said : 

"  Gentlemen,  orders  from  headquarters  direct  me  to  se- 
cure the  person  of  Sitting  Bull.  It  is  thought  best  to  have 
the  Indian  police  make  the  arrest.  They  are  in  the  vicinity 
of  Bull's  camp  now,  and  only  await  orders  to  bring  the  chief 
here.  The  troops  are  to  co-operate  with  the  police,  so  if 
there  should  be  any  lighting,  you  will  go  to  their  help,  and 
bring  in  the  body  of  Bull,  dead  or  alive.  The  two  troops  of 
cavalry  will  be  in  readiness  to  start  at  midnight  to-night. 


204  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

They  will  go  in  light  marching  order,  with  two  days'  cooktd 
rations,  and  forty  rounds  of  ammunition  per  man." 

Short  and  to  the  point  were  the  orders,  and  the  officers  dis- 
persed at  once  to  see  that  their  men  were  ready.  Captain 
Forbes  started  at  once  for  the  barracks  of  his  troop,  and  en- 
tering the  orderly-room,  said : 

"  Sergeant,  get  the  men  ready  for  field  service ;  we  puU 
out  at  midnight  to  get  old  Sitting  Ball." 

The  movement  was  to  be  conducted  as  secretly  as  possible, 
for  if  the  disaffected  Indians  at  and  around  the  agency  got 
an  inkling  of  what  was  going  on,  they  would  get  a  courier 
off  at  once  to  Bull,  before  the  police  or  troops  could  inter- 
fere. And  once  warned,  the  wily  chief  would  in  a  very  few 
hours  be  safe  from  all  pursuit,  and  join  the  hostiles  at  Pine 
Ridge.  So  the  column  was  to  pull  out  at  dead  of  night  as 
quietly  as  could  be.  At  the  stables  the  troop  horses  were 
being  carefully  looked  after.  The  stable  sergeant  of  Troop 
N  was  busy  looking  up  saddle-gear,  carbine-slings,  girths, 
and  all  that  goes  to  make  up  the  complement  of  the  McClen- 
nan  saddle  in  the  campaign.  As  the  old  sergeant  walked 
down  between  the  long  line  of  horses,  he  stopped  at  the  side 
of  one  bearing  the  euphonious  name  of  "Gorilla."  Tradi- 
tion had  it  that  he  had  eaten  two  stalwart  troopers  once  on 
a  time.  At  least  they  had  been  seen  in  the  stable  one  even- 
ing, near  "  Gorilla's''  stall,  an  1  as  they  were  never  seen  by 
man  after  that,  and  as  "  Gorilla"  was  known  to  have  man- 
eating  tendencies,  it  was  clear  enough  to  N  troops  at  least 
that  they  had  furnished  aa  equine  lunch.  The  sergeant 
meditatively  regarded  the  horse  for  a  moment,  and  then  de- 
livered himself  thus :  ^ 

"Ah,  ye  ould  divil,  may  Sittin'  Bull  git  ye  this  time, 
though  small  thanks  would  you  be  gittin'  from  him,  if  y« 
started  in  to  ate  the  tribe." 

And  having  vented  his  spleen,  the  sergeant  turned  away, 
and  went  to  look  after  the  harness  and  gear  of  the  Hotchkias 
gun  and  three-inch  rifle,  which  were  to  go  with  the  troop. 

At  the  commanding  officer's  office,  men  are  coming  and 
going  in  hot  hast©.  Now  one  of  the  Indian  police  has  dashed 
up  with  a  note  from  tho  agent,  with  the  latest  advices  from 
Sitting  Bull's  camp.  Bull  is  rampant,  but  retribution  is 
gathering  her  forces,  arid  in  a  few  short  hours  the  so-called 


INDIAN    MASSACRES.  205 

bero  of  the  Sioux-tribe,  their  big  medicine-man,  will  be  lying 
stark  and  stiff,  and  Custer  will  be  avenged.  Itisneariugthe 
hour  of  eleven,  the  first  bustle  and  confusion  of  preparing  to 
move  out  are  over,  everything  is  settled,  and  all  are  awaiting 
the  hour  to  start.  In  the  barracks,  the  men  have  thrown 
themselves  on  their  bunks  for  a  few  moments'  rest,  or  others 
are  giving  the  final  touches  to  carbines  and  revolvers.  Along 
officers'  row  the  lights  are  twinkling  here  and  there,  and  the 
last  moments  of  the  ones  to  go  are  being  given  to  wife  and 
home.  The  spirit  of  peace  seems  to  have  folded  its  wings 
and  taken  the  old  post  in  its  keeping.  And  some  forty  miles 
away,  the  red  demons,  all  unconscious  of  their  danger,  are 
exulting  in  their  fancied  security. 

Suddenly  there  is  a  commotion  at  the  guard-house,  a  sound 
of  scuffling,  and  the  door  is  thrown  wide  open,  permitting  a 
broad,  wide  glare  of  light  to  stream  out  across  the  parade. 
A  figure  is  seen  for  a  second,  as  it  leaps  from  the  door,  and 
vanishes  in  the  darkness.  At  the  same  time  the  hoarse  call 
of  the  sentry  on  No.  1  shouts,  "  Halt!  "  accompanied  almost 
instantaneously  by  the  loud  report  of  his  rifle,  which  rings 
out  on  the  wintry  air  with  an  electrical  effect,  bringing  every- 
one up  standing.  In  a  moment  all  is  confusion.  A  crowd  is 
hurrying  in  the  direction  of  the  guard-house,  where  the 
guards  are  quickly  falling  in.  Now  the  officer  of  the  day 
comes  running  up,  calling  out: 

"  What  is  the  trouble,  sergeant  ?  " 

"  That  man  who  was  confined  for  selling  whisky  to  the  In- 
dians has  escaped,  sir.  He  has  been  nearly  wild  ever  since 
he  heard  the  news  about  Sitting  Bull,  and  he  wanted  to  see 
the  commanding  officer  to  get  permission  to  go  out  to-night 
-uide.  He  says  he  knows  that  country  well.  I  told  him 
he  could  not  see  the  colonel,  and  he  took  on  bad.  Just  now 
he  came  to  the  door  of  his  cell,  saying  he  wanted  to  see  the 
officer  of  the  day,  and  I  opened  the  door  for  him,  when  he 
threw  himself  against  me,  knocking  me  down,  and  then  got 
out  the  door.  No,  1  missed  him  when  he  fired." 

The  officer  of  the  day  turned  quickly  to  the  sentry,  sayjng : 

"  Which  way  did  he  go,  Burke  ?  " 

"  Bight  down  toward  the  stables,  lootenant." 

"  Take  some  of  the  men  at  once,  sergeant,  and  we  will  go 
to  the  stables  to  see  that  he  takes  no  horses.  Hurry  up  there." 


•206  INDIAN    MASSACRES. 

The  squad  double-timed  toward  the  stables,  being  halted 
on  the  way  by  seatry  No.  2,  who,  on  being  asked  if  he  had 
seen  any  one,  replied  that  just  after  the  shot  was  fired,  he 
thought  he  had  seen  some  one  running  past  troop  O's  quar- 
ters, but  it  was  so  dark  he  could  not  be  sure. 

Telling  No.  2  to  keep  a  siiarp  lookout,  the  party  kept  on  to 
the  stables,  where  No.  3  was  stationed,  to  see  and  hear  from 
him  if  anything  was  wrong  on  his  post.  At  the  stables  tlae 
sergeant  met  them  with  his  ianterns,  having  just  come  from 
his  quarters,  about  thirty  yards  from  the  corrals,  and  had 
seen  or  heard  nothing.  They  all  went  over  to  the  entrance 
of  N  troop  stable,  where,  after  a  short  inspection,  everything 
was  found  secure,  and  the  doors  locked. 

"  Where  is  No.  3,"  asked  the  lieutenant,  "  why  don't  he 
challenge  ?  ' ' 

Just  then  an  exclamation  from  the  sergeant  brought  his  of- 
ficer quickly  around  to  one  side  of  the  stable,  where  he  was 
examining  something  on  the  ground. 

"  There  is  something  wrong  here,  sir.  1  think  it's  No.  3. 
The  lantern  went  out  just  as  I  turned  the  corner." 

Striking  a  match,  the  lantern  was  relighted,  and  as  the 
rays  flashed  over  the  little  group,  a  cry  of  horror  went  up. 
The  sentry  was  lying,  face  downward,  on  the  ground,  his 
rifle  beneath  him,  just  as  he  had  fallen,  stabbed  through  the 
heart.  No.  3  would  challenge  no  more. 

"  Quick,  sergeant,  look  carefully  through  the  stables ;  we 
may  get  the  murderer  before  he  can  escape." 

A  search  soon  revealed  the  fact  that  the  big  doors  at  the 
south  end  of  troop  O's  stable  were  swinging  wide,  the  chains 
down,  and  "  Pharaoh,"  the  fastest  horse  in  all  the  eleventh 
cavalry,  the  hero  of  many  a  race,  the  joy  and  pride  of  O  troop, 
was  gone. 

There  were  ominous  faces,  and  many  hearts  were  filled 
with  foreboding  in  the  little  command  that  defiled  out  of  the 
post  at  midnight.  As  the  column  wound  out  by  the  last  of 
the  buildings  and  debouched  on  the  plain,  a  sigh  of  relief 
seemed  to  go  through  all  those  forms  enveloped  in  overcoats 
and  furs— it  was  the  last  shaking  off  of  the  evil  spirits  pro- 
duced by  the  tragedy  of  the  night.  There  was  no  doubt  that 
the  assassin  was  a  traitor,  as  well  as  a  murderer,  since  the 
tracks  made  by  the  stolen  horse  led  directly  from  the  stable 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  207 

out  onto  the  flat,  and  thence  straight  across  the  country  for 
the  Grand  river,  to  tell  the  Indians  the  troops  were  coming. 

The  stalwart  form  of  the  cavalry  leader  straightened  up 
even  more,  as  glancing  ahead  into  the  obscurity,  he  gave  the 
orders,  "  By  fours,  gallop,  march,"  and  on  went  the  gallant 
troopers,  straight  into— they  knew  not  what,  only  that  there 
was  more  than  likely  to  be  sharp  work  cut  out  for  them,  and 
many  thoughts  were  turned  back  to  that  fatal  day  in  June, 
;76,when  Ouster  and  his  brave  and  noble  band  went  down  be- 
fore the  hordes  of  the  very  old  chief  they  were  seeking  now. 

"Lieutenant  B,"  called  the  major,  "take  ten  men  and 
throw  out  an  advance  guard  and  flankers.  Instruct  them  to 
give  the  alarm  at  once,  in  case  anything  suspicious  is  seen  or 
heard." 

And  then  under  his  breath  he  said . 

"  If  the  police  don't  stop  that  infernal  spy,  all  our  work 

will  be  in  vain,  and  Bull  will  get  clean  away,  unpunished." 

****  **** 

In  front  of  Sitting  Bull's  house,  in  a  little  valley  inclosed 
by  the  high  bluffs  overlooking  the  Grand  river,  stood  the 
pole  that  marked  the  centre  of  the  circle  made  by  the  ghost 
dance.  Around  this  pole,  which  was  gaily  decorated  with 
many  colored  streamers  and  ribbons,  the  old  guard  of  the 
non-progressive  Sioux  nation  danced  and  howled  to  the  mo- 
notonous turn,  turn  of  the  wooden,  hide-covered  drum,  which 
one  of  the  elect  was  beating  with  might  and  main.  As  the 
beating  of  the  drum  grew  louder  and  faster,  the  frenzy  of 
the  dance  increased,  until  the  jumping,  revolving  figures 
more  nearly  resembled  some  of  the  scenes  in  Dante's  purga- 
atory,  as  they  flew  with  frantic  jestures  around  the  ring,  than 
they  did  Indians  holding  a  dance.  The  half-naked  bodies 
were  streaming  with  moisture,  although  the  afternoon  was 
waxing  colder,  as  the  sun  disappeared  in  the  west.  So  vio- 
lent was  the  exercise  that  the  paint,  which  had  originally 
been  laid  on  the  body  in  stripes  and  rings  of  different  colors, 
had  run  together,  producing  an  effect  that  was  bizarre  in  the 
extreme. 

Ha!  The  one  in  green,  with  the  red  stripes  down  his  chest, 
has  succumbed  to  the  vigor  of  the  dance  and  has  fallen  sense- 
less in  the  circle.  At  this  the  dance  ceased,  as  if  by  magic, 
and  a  loud  chorus  of  howls  announced  a  critical  point  in  the 


208  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

proceeding.  At  this  juncture  the  door  of  Sitting  Bull's 
house  opened,  and  out  came  the  renowned  medicine-man  of 
the  Sioux.  The  heavy,  thick-set  body  of  the  old  warrior  was 
clad  in  the  full  regalia  oi'  the  high  priesfc  of  the  "  prayer- 
meeting."  He  wore  a  head-dress  of  buffalo  horns,  bristling 
with  eagle  feathers,  and  falling  over  his  shoulders  and  down 
his  back  was  a  long  string  of  hawk  and  e:igle  pinions.  His 
'  ghost  shirt''  covered  his  brawny  chest, and  was  gaily  decorat- 
ed with  sceues  from  his  past  life  \vorkedin  beads  and  painted 
on  the  buck-skin  front  of  the  shirt.  The  bullets  of  the  white 
man  would  drop  harmless  to  the  ground  on  hitting  this  magic 
shirt,  and  no  harm  could  come  to  the  wearer. 

The  "  prayer- meeting,"  for  so  Hitting  Bull  insisted  on  call- 
ing the  ceremony  that  less  enthusiastic  Indians  and  whites 
profanely  christened  "  ghost  dunce,"  had  stopped  suddenly, 
and  as  Sitting  Bull  advanced  to  the  circle,  the  dancers  on 
either  side  fell  back  before  him,  forming  a  lane  down  which 
he  went  toward  the  figure  of  the  prostrate  dancer.  His  eyes 
gleamed  red  as  he  glanced  sharply  at  the  tense  features  and 
rigid  form;  then  straightening  up  his  body  to  his  full  height, 
and  raising  his  hands  toward  the  sky  said  • 

"  Our  brother  is  now  with  the  Messiah.  He  has  gone  on 
ais  long  journey.  When  he  re  turns  we  will  know  what  the 
Great  Spirit  has  told  him.  I  have  told  you  We  \\  ill  see  our 
buffalo  once  more  covering  the  hills  and  the  valleys,  where 
now  stand  the  houses  and  villages  of  the  whites.  These,  will 
all  disappear,  as  the  mist  before  the  sun,  and  the  red  man 
will  rule  this  land,  as  did  our  fathers  before  us.  The  Great 
Spirit  holds  us  in  his  Land.  We  are  his  people.  lie  has  prom- 
ised me  that  he  will  destroy  all  others.  Why,  then,  do  ye 
stand  here  idle  ?  Your  brothers  in  the  South  are  shedding 
their  blood.  Already  have  they  commenced  thei&  war  of 
extermination  against  the  whites.  Even  now  I  can  see  the 
ruddy  glow  of  their  fires  against  the  sky.  Ye  are  men.  List- 
en, then,  to  my  words.  Our  own  people  have  turned  against 
us.  Have  they  not  been  armed  by  the  Great  Father  in  Wash- 
ington to  fight  aud  kill  their  own  brothers  ?  Even  now,  as  I 
talk,  the  police  are  coming  down  upon  us.  Have  they  not 
been  here  and  told  us  to  stop  our  mee-iag,  like  the  dogs  that 
they  are,  and  made  our  hearts  bad  with  their  talk  ?  Why 
should  we  cease  our  religious  dance  ?  This  is  our  religion. 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  209 

We  do  not  interfere  in  their  meetings.  They  have  oppressed 
and  trod  upon  us  long.  Wil.  ye  stand  it  ?  I  have  told  you 
this  many  times.  I  will  now  tell  you  no  more.  Those  of  you 
who  are  men  get  your  horses  and  guns,  and  in  the  gray  of 
the  morning  we  will  start  to  the  aid  of  our  brave  brothers  in 
the  South,  who  have  begun  the  fight  for  you.  Kill  all  the 
whites.  •  This  is  our  country." 

And  drawing  his  blanket  around  his  shoulders,  the  old 
chief  started  to  leave  the  circle,  amidst  the  wild  applause  of 
all  his  followers. 

"To  the  horses!  To  the  horses!"  was  the  cry;  but  the 
chief  with  a  gesture  restrained  them. 

"It  is  now  too  late  in  the  afternoon  to  start.  See,  it  is 
growing  dusk,  and  you  are  tired  with  the  dance.  Wait  un- 
til morning,  and  we  will  then  take  our  wives  and  children 
and  begin  our  southward  march.  Then,  too,  we  have  time 
enough.  Our  friend,  who  is  trusted  by  the  whites,  is  even 
now  in  their  very  fort  itself,  and  will  let  us  know  when  dan- 
ger threatens.  He  has  helped  us  many  times,  and  will  not 
desert  us  now.  But  eee,  my  brothers,  our  brother  who  has 
died  and  gone  to  meet  the  Great  Spiiit  is  with  us  once  more. 
HearKen  to  his  words.'' 

A  second  later  and  all  were  gathered  around  the  form  of 
the  dancer  who  had  fainted,  and  who,  having  come  to,  was 
sitting  upright  and  glaring  wildly  around  him.  Gradually 
his  eyes  lost  their  will  stare,  his  limbs  became  less  strained, 
his  whole  form  relaxed,  and  he  seemed  himself  once  more. 
His  voice  at  first  was  like  the  sighing  of  the  zephyr  in  the 
tree-top,  but  became  stronger  as  he  continued  : 

"  My  brothers,  I  have  seen  the  Great  Spirit.    He  called  me 
his  son,  and  his  heart  was  glad  toward  me.     He  has  put  into 
my  mouth  the  words  I  now  speak  to  you.    lie  says,  '  Kill  the 
white  man ;  kill  his  wife  and  his  children  ;  kill  all  whoso  skin  i 
is  not  red,   and  who  speak  with  a  forked  tongue,  and  the  i 
heart  of  the  Great  Spirit  will  be  glad  toward  hi  <  people.    He 
will  then  come  to  rule  us,  and  we  will  come  into  our   own 
again.'     I  have  done." 

The  head  cf  the  speaker  dropped  forward  ©n  his  breast, 
and  :,-itting  Bull  proceeded  to  speak : 

"  You  have  heard  our  orother.  He  has  spoken  with  the 
tongue  of  the  Great  Spirit,  and  it  is  good.  What  do  my 


210  IITOIAN  MASSACRES. 

brothers,  Little  Assinaboine  and  Spotted  Horn  Bull  say  ?  " 

The  two  warriors  thus  addressed  advanced  to  the  outskirts 
of  the  crowd,  then  turned,  and  facing  to  the  setting  sun, 
Spotted  Horn  Bull,  one  of  the  bravest  and  smartest  of  all  the 
sub  chiefs,  said : 

"  Our  big  medicine-man,  Sitting  Bull,  has  spoken.  He 
said  wMl.  Our  brother  who  died  went  to  the  Great  Spirit 
and  returned  to  us  again,  has  told  us  what  our  medicine-man 
said.  Those  of  you  here  who  are  men  will  do  as  he  says. 
Those  women  amongst  you  who  are  wearing  men's  clothes, 
and  who  look  like  men,  will  stay  behind  to  cut  wood  and 
bring  water  for  the  white  man."  With  this  sarcastic  speech 
he  closed. 

Little  Assinaboine  suddenly,  and  with  a  terrific  yell,  then 
sprang  on  a  wagon  that  stood  just  without  the  boundary  of 
the  yard  marked  by  the  houses  and  corral  of  Sitting  Bull,  and 
brandished  his  gun  in  the  air.  It  needed  no  words  to  tell  that 
he  was  for  war.  Then  came  a  yell,  as  if  a  thousand  demons 
had  escaped  from  hell,  arxd  let  off  the  pent-up  energy  of  years 
in  one  grand  effort.  Sitting  Bull's  warriors,  evidently,  had 
by  unanimous  voice  declared  a  war  of  extermination. 

All  this  time  everyone  was  so  intent  on  watching,  and  tak- 
ing part  in  these  immediate  events,  that  no  one  thought  of 
being  interested  in  anything  of  minor  importance  until  after 
the  edict  had  gone  forth,  and  Sitting  Bull  was  giving  a  few 
final  directions  to  a  little  group  around  him.  Crowfoot,  Sit- 
ting Bull's  son,  a  lusty,  vigorous  fellow  of  sixteen,  who  hact 
been  apparently  looking  for  some  one  among  the  crowd,  ran 
up  to  Catch  th^  Bear  and  asked  him  what  had  become  of  the 
man  who  was  standing  at  his  side  a  moment  before. 

"Why,  I  don't  know,"  was  the  response,  "why  do  you 
ask?" 

"  I  believe  it  was  a  spy,"  said  Crowfoot.  "  He  was  here  all 
the  time,  but  when  I  spoke,  he  paid  no  attention  to  me,  and 
kept  his  blanket  so  close  around  him  I  couldn't  see  his  face. 
I  am  sure  h@  was  a  spy,  and  I  can't  find  any  one  else  who 
knew  him,  but  several  others  noticed  him.  You  don't  sup- 
pose any  of  those  cursed  police  would  come  down  here,  do 
you,  alone  like  that  ?  " 

A  laugh  was  the  response,  as  though  the  idea  was  too  ab- 
surd to  even  think  of.  The  police  knew  perfectly  well  that 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  2 

all  of  Bull's  people  had  sworn  to  kill  any  policeman  on  sight 
that  they  caught  alone,  and  so  the  idea  of  any  one  policeman 
venturing  into  that  hornet's  nest  seemed  absurd  in  the  ex- 
treme. Nevertheless  Sitting  Bull  looked  troubled,  and  said : 

"  Crowfoot,  my  son,  mount  your  horse,  and  scout  through 
that  brush,  and  look  well  over  toward  the  hills,  for  my  heart 
is  troubled.  I  would  know  who  it  is  that  has  heard  all  the  se- 
crets of  our  council." 

Crowfoot  leaped  lightly  on  his  horse,  but  turned  to  his  fa- 
ther, saying : 

"  My  father,  I  will  find  this  spy,  tie  him  to  my  horse's  tail, 
arid  drag  him  into  your  house." 

So  saying,  he  spurred  up  his  horse,  and  dashing  into  the 
brush,  was  quickly  out  of  sight  of  the  others,  several  of 
whom  had  gone  down  the  river  on  foot,  looking  for  the  un- 
known, while  Crowfoot  had  gone  up.  The  young  boaster 
rode  rapidly  along  the  bank  of  the  stream,  looking  for  tracks 
in  the  snow.  Ah,  here  it  is!  A  moment  and  Crowfoot  is  fol- 
lowing the  plainly-marked  track  of  a  moccasin,  through  the 
snow,  directly  away  from  the  river  toward  a  clump  of  trees 
that  stood  by  themselves.  He  dashed  up  to  this  timber, 
only  to  be  confronted  by  Bullhead,  the  captain  of  the  police, 
who  ordered  him  to  give  up  his  gun,  revolver  and  horse.  He 
delivered  up  his  arms  to  Bullhead,  and  stood  there  like  the 
great  awkward  boy  that  he  was,  trembling  with  shame  and 
fear.  Bullhead,  coolly  buckling  Crowfoot's  belt  of  cartridges 
around  his  waist  over  his  own,  and  putting  the  boy's  revol- 
ver in  his  holster,  sprang  OD  the  horse.  Leaning  over,  he 
said: 

"Boy,  go  home  to  your  mother.  Next  time  we  meet  you 
will  not  get  off  so  easily. " 

And  off  he  went  at  a  hard  gallop  toward  the  hills. 

Filled  with  humiliation,  Crowfoot  watched  the  retreating 
figure  out  of  sight,  and  slowly  turning  away,  slunk  back 
down  to  the  river,  where  he  waited  until  dark,  and  got  back 
to  camp  unnoticed.  All  the  others  were  too  busily  engaged 
in  their  final  preparations  to  steal  away  in  the  morning  to 
pay  any  attention  to  a  boy ;  so  none  knew  of  his  adventure 
with  Bullhead. 

Bullhead  rode  rapidly  back  some  miles  to  where  his  police 
were  encamped.  They  had  temporary  quarters  in  a  log 


212  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

house  and  were  keeping  a  watchful  eye  on  the  hostile*.  As 
Bullhead  dismounted,  he  said  : 

"  My  brothers,  if  you  will  listen  you  will  hear  the  war-drum 
and  the  shout  of  death,  and  the  crack  of  the  rifle  that  be- 
tokens for  many  of  us  certain  death.  The  Great  Spirit  has 
foretold  my  death  ;  but  it  will  be  with  a  glad  heart  that  I  die 
at  the  head  of  these  men  I  see  around  me  now.  But  enough ; 
we  must  to  work.  Shave  Head,  you  and  Red  Tomahawk  will 
stay  with  me  at  present.  Eed  Bear  and  One  Feather,  get 
your  hordes  and  ride  out  to  guard  the  path  to  the  south. 
Keep  your  eyes  open,  while  Eaglenian  and  Wakute  Mani 
watch  the  road  from  the  north,  and  tell  the  courier,  when  he 
comes  from  the  big  chief  at  the  post,  that  I  am  here.  Let 
the  others  rest." 

Drawing  his  lieutenants  apart,  Bullhead  mad©  his  dispo- 
sitions for  the  night. 

The  night  came  on  dark  and  drizzly,  and  to  the  single 
horseman  from  th©  post  who  was  urging  his  steed  along  the 
road  from  the  north,  all  was  one  impenetrable  veil  of  dark* 
ness.  He  laughed  to  himself  as  he  thought  of  his  escape,  and 
said  aloud : 

"  They  didn't  keep  m@  long  this  time.  What  a  lucky  thing 
it  was  having  that  stupid  sergeant  on  guard.  Thanks  to  the 
darkness,  the  sentry  missed  me.  I  am  a  little  sorry  for  that 
poor  wretch  at  the  stable,  though.  What  a  fool  he  was  to 
try  to  stop  me.  Hey,  old  horse !  "  And  he  slapped  the  neck 
of  his  horse  as  he  sp ok©  ;  but  "  Pharaoh,"  with  instinctive 
aversion,  tossed  his  head  and  unwillingly  proceeded  with 
the  murderer  and  renegade  on  his  back. 

The  man  resumed  his  musing : 

"  Those  fool  officers  at  the  post,  how  they  were  taken  to  I 
Didn't  know  I  was  Sitting  Bull's  right-hand  man  all  the  time, 
and  that  I  have  kept  the  chief  informed  of  all  that  was  go- 
ing on,"  he  chuckled  to  himself.  "  I  would  have  been  there 
by  this  time,  and  Bull  would  be  pulling  out  now,  I  reckon, 
if  it  hadn't  been  for  the  scrape  I  got  into  with  that  dirty  cor- 
poral, and  got  caught.  That  nearly  settled  the  whole  busi- 
ness. Bat  I  am  still  in  plenty  of  time,  and  with  the  warriors 
Ball  has,  together  with  those  of  Big  Foot  and  Two  Strikes,  I 
can  pay  @ff  soaa©  ®M  seeres.  Biat  this  road  don't  s^JH  nat- 
ural. Wkoa!" 


INDIAN    MASSACRES.  213 

And  pulling  up  short,  he  looked  around  him,  but  could  see 
aothing  that  could  give  him  a  clue.  The  fact  dawned  upon 
him  that  he  was  hopelessly  lost. 

Taking  a  sudden  resolution,  he  rode  quickly  over  the  prai- 
rie, he  knew  not  where.  His  horse  suddenly  stopped,  nearly 
unseating  the  rider.  Recovering  quickly,  he  leaned  over  the 
saddle  to  see  what  had  frightened  the  horse,  when  lie  was 
greeted  with  a  shout  to  dismount.  Instantly  the  fact  was 
apparent  that  he  had  run  directly  into  the  arms  of  the  police ; 
and  just  then  one  dark  form  stepped  out  of  the  gloom,  and 
grasping  the  bridle,  agpin  ordered  the  man  to  dismount. 
There  was  only  one  chance  for  him,  and  he  knew  it,  and 
cursing  himself  for  running  into  such  a  trap,  he  suddenly 
raised  his  arm  and  brought  his  revolver  down  with  all  force, 
full  at  the  upturned  face  in  front  of  him.  But  the  motion 
had  been  seen,  and  quick  as  it  was,  the  other  was  quicker  still, 
and  evading  the  blow,  sprang  full  on  the  rider,  who  had  lost 
Ids  balance  from  the  force  of  the  blow  and  was  completely 
unseated,  and  fell  heavily  to  the  ground,  with  the  policeman 
on  top.  The  struggle  was  brief.  The  renegade  endeavored 
to  possess  himself  of  Wakute  Mani's  knife,  which  he  wore  in 
his  belt ;  but  the  policeman  had  his  knees  on  the  other's  arms, 
and  he  could  do  nothing  save  articulate  hoarse  cries  of  rage. 
Wakute  Mani  drew  the  knife,  and  with  terrific  force  brought 
it  down  on  the  unprotected  chest  of  his  adversary.  One 
convulsive  shudder  and  all  was  over.  The  spy  was  dead. 
Sitting  Bull  would  await  his  coming  in  vain. 

Shortly  after,  the  courier  dashed  past  from  the  post,  and 
being  joined  by  Wakute  Mani  and  Eagle  Man,  rode  on  down 
into  camp,  where  Bullhead  was  shortly  giving  his  orders, 
and  not  long  after  the  brave  band  of  police  had  swung  into 
line,  and  folio  wing  their  leader,  were  dashing  in  the  direction 

of  Sitting  Bull's  camp. 

******** 

On  Grand  river,  the  morning  of  December  15th,    1890, 

dawned  rainy  and  cheerless.    No  sign   of  life  was  visible  at 

the  Indian  Camp.    The  flag-pole  standing  in  the  circle  made 

by  the  ghost  dance  looked  very  forlorn  in  its  loneliness.    Its 

gay  streamers  hung  limp  and  bedraggled  to  the  staff,  and 

und  of  the  drum  and  the  dancing  figures  had  disap- 

•  I  from  the  scene"." 


INDIAN   MASSACRES. 

Looking  down  the  valley  from  the  old  chief's  house,  the 
houses  scattered  here  and  there,  some  clustered  close  te- 
gether  and  others  standing  alone,  keeping  company  with  the 
lifeless-looking  timter  and  brush,  it  formed  a  very  striking 
contrast  to  the  scene  in  Sitting  Bull's  camp  that  bright  June 
morning  in  1376,  when  his  tepees  covered  the  hills  far  and 
near,  and  when  the  hornets  swarmed  out  on  Ouster  and  his 
brave  little  band,  and  left  not  one  alive  to  {ell  the  tale. 

But  look !  What  means  those  creeping  figures  that,  keep- 
ing in  the  shelter  of  the  brush  and  lurking  down  through  the 
ravines,  looking  dim  and  ghostly  in  the  uncertain  light? 
They  are  drawing  stealthily  nearer  and  nearer  to  Sitting 
Bull's  house.  Not  a  sound  breaks  the  stillness,  and  sudden- 
ly, as  if  by  magic,  a  dozen  dusky  forms  spring  out  of  the 
ground  in  front  of  the  single  door  to  Bull's  long,  low  house, 
and  a  moment  later,  all  unchallenged  and  unnoticed,  it  and 
its  sleeping  occupants  are  in  the  hands  of  Captain  Bullhead 
and  his  men.  A  smile  of  satisfaction  crossed  Bullhead's  face, 
and  he  said  as  he  glanced  at  the  sleeping  forms  around  him  : 
"We  have  done  well." 

Posting  some  of  his  men  near  the  corral  and  others  at  the 
door  to  guard  against  surprise,  he  advanced  to  the  side  of 
Sitting  Bull's  bed  and  looked  down  at  the  sleeping  form  of 
the  old  man.  He  laid  his  hand  heavily  on  the  shoulders  of 
the  prostrate  form,  which  rose  like  a  flash  at  his  touch,  and 
seeing  Bullhead  with  his  police  around  him,  said : 

"  Why  are  you  here,  Bullhead  ?  And  all  these  men,  what 
do  they  want?" 

"Sitting  Bull,"  said  the  policeman,  "  I  am  come  to  arrest 
you,  by  order  of  the  big  chief.  Lose  no  time,  but  come 
quickly  with  me." 

For  once  the  old  chief  was  caught  napping.  If  he  could 
only  temporize  until  his  followers  could  come  up  !  He  knew 
the  force  of  the  pol&e  and  that  they  were  far  outnumbered 
by  his  own  warriors,  all  armed  and  ready  for  a  fight.  Why 
could  he  not  gain  a  little  time  ? 

At  this  point,  One  Feather,  who  was  posted  nearer  the 
main  village,  called  out  that  the  men  were>  rousing  and  the 
alarm  would  soon  be  general.  At  this,  Red  Tomahawk  and 
Shavehead  advanced  to  Bull,  who  was  sitting  ©n  his  bed 
slowly  getting  into  his  clothes. 


TND  :^  ACRES.  2lf> 

"Come  at  once/'  bid,  and  half  carried  him  t»  tU« 

door. 

"Don't  go,  :ny  father,"  sudde:  •  out  Crowfoot,  who 

had  slipped  unseen  around  i  .  and  wii.li  riile  and  re- 

volver menaced  tho  police.     <;  Your  men  will  soo •»  be  here, 
and  we  will  kill  these  police  do 

"  My  son,  I  will  go  quietly.     Caus<  ;rb;mce." 

At  this  the  police,  who  had  gallieie-d  around,  turned  away, 
and  all  started  for  a  wagon  which  had  pulled  up  a  little  dis- 
tance away,  and  in  which  the  old  medicine-i- 
taken  to  the  agency.  A  chorus  of  wild  yells  suddenly  broke 
in  on  l he  quiet,  and  a  moment  later,  a  horde  of  howling, 
painted  Indians  was  pouring  down  on  the  police  force  from 
all  sides.  Little  Assinaboine  was  leading  on  his  men,  and 
crying  death  to  the  police.  The  main  body  of  the  police 
scattered  at  once  to  the  shelter  of  the  buildings  and  corrals, 
where  their  guns  could  command  the  situation,  leaving  '-it- 
ting  Bull  standing  between  Shave  Head  and  Bullhead,  Bed 
Tomahawk  directly  in  the  rear  of  them,  and  One  Feather 
immediately  in  fron',  distant  about  twenty  yards.  This  lit- 
tle group  st'Mxlcalm  and  unmoved,  find  a  moment  later  Bull- 
head saw  that  his  position  was  a  good  one  for  a  time,  as  his 
men  v  i:id  him,  and  the  way  to  the  wagon  was  clear. 

Catch  thr-  .ut: 

"  Wl  :oing  v.  ith  our  chief  ?" 

"  Bullhead  answered. 

At  this  Hull  Ghost  called  out: 

"  Let  us  kill  the  police  !   We  ai  han  they.     We  will 

take  their  own  guns  and  shoot  them  !" 

{.hers,  hold  '.''cried  out  Bullhead.     "We  are  not 
here  to  kill  an;.  I,  either,  bi;t  to  take  our  old 

friend  into  th<  ;g  chief,  I  '.ill  h<>id  a 

council,  and  we  will  then  learn  what  is  right  and  just." 

As  he  sp-  ''If  up  and  looked  with  a  bright, 

kee  i   gla;  I   him,   and  motioning  quickly  to  Bed 

Tom;.  prisoner. 

"  Y>  ;  old  war  •  ailed  out  Spot- 

ted Horn  Bull.  ;   chief  of  tne  Sioux  nation  is  led 

away  Ling  captive." 

"Not    so!"  at  Crowfoot.     "  My  father,   give  the 

word." 


216  INDIAN   MASSACRES. 

As  though  by  a  preconceived  plan,  Sitting  Bull  gave  hia 
war-whoop  and  threw  himself  violently  backward,  oiu  of  his 
captors'  hands. 

Catch  the  Bear  raised  and  fired  his  rifle,  and  the  fatal  shot 
rang  out  clear  and  loud.  The  gallant  captain  of  police  stag- 
gered and  fell.  Struggling  to  a  sitting  posture  he  said,  "  You 
will  go,  too,  Sitting  Bull  !"  and  put  a  bullet  through  the 
chief's  body.  As  the  latter  fell,  Eed  Tomahawk  put  a  bullet 
through  his  brain,  quelling  that  restless  spirit  forever.  At 
the  same  moment,  Shave  Head  was  shot  through  the  heart, 
and  died  instantly. 

"  Come  on,  my  braves  !"  shouted  Catch  the  Bear.  "  Kil? 
them  all  !*' 

But  as  he  spoke,  a  sheet  of  flame  rushed  out  from  behind 
the  corral,  the  houses  and  other  points  of  vantage,  and  Catch 
the  Bear  and  half  a  dozen  of  his  men  fell  dead  or  mortally 
wounded.  The  police  had  awakened  at  last.  It  was  to  be  a 
tight  of  extermination.  No  quarter  was  asked  or  shown  by 
either  side. 

Bed  Bear  through  it  all  had  never  lost  sight  of  Crowfoot, 
who,  keeping  well  out  of  harm's  way,  was  pouring  shot  after 
shot  in  the  direction  of  the  police.  He  suddenly  darted  out 
and  sprang  full  on  the  boy,  who  gave  a  cry  of  terror,  and 
dropping  his  gun,  started  to  run.  It  was  his  last  effort  in 
life,  for  a  shot  from  Bed  Bear's  revolver  brought  him  scream- 
ing to  the  ground,  and  a  second  shot  stretched  him  lifeless 
at  the  threshold  of  the  door,  both  bullets  going  through 
Crowfoot  and  thence  into  and  through  the  floor  of  his  fa- 
ther's house. 

The  hostiles,  as  Catch  the  Bear  fell,  ran  quickly  to  the  cov- 
er of  the  brush,  trees  and  anything  that  would  afford  s'.elter. 
Out  of  all  the  men  in  sight  a  moment  before,  not  one  was  to 
be  seen,  save  the  little  group  of  dead  and  dying  that  lay 
where  they  had  fallen,  in  front  of  Bit;  ing  Bull's  house. 

The  old  "medicine-man"  lay  with  his  face  upturned  to  the 
sky,  his  arms  outstretched  and  with  a  look  of  hatred,  as  he 
had  last  glared  at  Bullhead  as  he  fell.  No  more  would  his 
voice  incite  the  warriors  to  battle  and  blood.  No  more  would 
his  voice  be  heard  in  the  councils  of  the  Sioux.  The  restless 
lii'e  was  gone  out,  and  Custer  was  avenged. 

And  now  from  all  points  a  deadly  fire  was  being  poured  in 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  2l7 

on  the  devoted  band  of  police.    From  the  brush,  from  the 

ravines,  from  the  hills  even,  came  the  spiteful  crack  of  the 

•Allowed  by  the  spat  of  the  ball  as  it  struck  a  house  or 

a  lodging  in  tho  body  of  one  of  the  police.    The  brave 

e  band  is  being  thinned  out  rapidly. 

urierhad  been  sent  back  along  the  road  to  tell  the 
•,  to  come  on,  as  Bullhead  had  ridden   down  into  the 
with  his  men.    Since  then   nothing  had  been  seen  of 
urier  or  his  troops.    Bed    Tomahawk,  who  had  sue- 
1  to  the  command  of  the  police,  was  fighting  away  and 
why  the  troops  did  "not  come  in  response  to  the 
r's  request.    Wh;.it  Re  !  Tomahawk  did  not  know  was, 
,  bout  midway  between  the  fight  and  the  troops  a  rider- 
Tse  was  standing  beside  the  road,  and  near  him  lay 
Ills  rider,  the  messenger  dispatched  for  help.    A   1  ullet-hole 
through  his  head  had  stopped  brave  Ha-.vk  Man's  career  for- 
ever. 

Bayk  on  the  road  the  troops  impatiently  awaited  tho  com- 
ing of  Hawk  Man.    I-  till  the  minutes  dragged  slowly  by,  un- 
til the  major  who  had  been  scui.niugthc  country  ahead  with 
ass,  said  : 

.vlll  wait  no  longer.    Our  orders  we're  to  wait 

lie    courier,  but  \ve  will  push  on,  anyway."    And 

I  •  tho  saddle,  he  gave  the  command,  "Pre- 

uut!''anda  moment  later  the  battalion 

.  11  u  gallop  down  the  road. 

•  L  llav/k  Man  was  discovered,  a  yell  of  exe- 

n    went  up    from    the    troopers,   which  was  quickly 

chcvked  by  a  word  from  the  officers.    Oa  went  the  column 

od  speed,  and  the  determined  lip  and  fiercer  grasp 

L   revolver  denoted  that  the  spirit  of  revenge 

•  risen,  and  nothing  but  blood  would  atone  no\v  for  that 

poor  policeman's  death,  ia  his  effort  to  do  his  duty  and  save 

mrades, 

I  Tomahawk  turned  to  Thunder  Iron,  who  stood  beside 
,  and  Faid: 

in  t  you  get  your  horse  a  d  get  to  the  white  soldiers?  I 
don't  know  why  they  are  net  here  now.  Hawk  Man  started 
back  before  the  fight  to  bring  them  up." 

Thunder  Iron  looked  grimly  out  from  behind  the  house 
where  they  were  sheltered,  and  said  : 


•>1H  INDIAN  MASSACRES, 

"  Brother,  I  will  ;.o  doubt  be  killed  ;  but  our  brave 
is  dead  or  dying,  a>:d  if  help  doj  soon,  v,  e  will  all  b«. 

killed.    Brother,  good -by ;  1  am  going.'1 

Ee  g'anced  for  an  instant  over  the  Held,  a  d  then  made  a 
dash  for  his  horse,  which  had  wandered  some  Distance  away, 
•and  luckily  in  the  right  direction  for  .  Iron.  As  soon 

as  the  hostilcssaw  his  purpose,  .a  hundred  rifles  were  leveled 
at  him,  a  hundred  messengers  of  death  whistled  after  his  fly- 
ing form.  His  hat  flies  suddenly  into  the  air.  but  the  bullet 
has  not  hit  the  man,  and  unscathed  amidst  it  all,  Thunder 
Iron  is  on  his  horse  at  last,  and  flying  like  tlie  wind  to  bring 
the  troops  to  the  rescue.  As  he  goes,  a  wild  sh'out  of  tri- 
umph rings  out  from  the  indomitable  police,  and  the  firing- 
is  renewed  more  briskly  than  ever. 

One  Feather  was  leaning  against  the  back  part  of  Sitting 
Bull's  house,  where  he  could  clearly  see  the  open  where  lay 
the  bodies,  when  he  noticed  Spotted  Horn  Bull  suddenly  rise 
from  where  he  lay  concealed  and  begin  to  work  his  way 
cautiously  toward  the  little  group  of  dead  and  dying,  where 
Sitting  Bull  and  Bullhead  lay.  "  What  can.  he  want?" 
thought  One  Feather.  Then  in  an  instant  the  errand  that 
Spotted  Horn  Bull  was  on  flashed  through  his  mind;  and  his 
face  assumed  such  an  expression  of  deadly  hate  that  it  would 
have  appalled  the  other  had  he  seen  it.  But  his  eye  was  in- 
tent on  one  single  figure  prostrate  on  the  ground,  and  for 
this,  gun  in  hand,  he  was  making  his  way.  Bullhead,  though 
mortally  wounded,  was  conscious  of  all  that  was  going  on, 
and  to  wreak  vengeance  on  his  still  living  body  was  Spotted 
Horn  Bull's  purpose.  As  he  drew  closer  he  said : 

"  Bullhead,  I  am  going  to  kill  you  this  time.  You  will  not 
escape  now!"  And  suddenly  rising  to  his  feet,  he  dropped 
his  gun  and  rushed  forward  to  brain  Bullhead  with  an  ax  he 
held  in  his  hand.  His  cartridges  had  given  out. 

One  Feather  is  there!  See  how  he  towers  between  his 
prostrate  chief  and  the  v,  ;ld-be  assassin.  Spotted  Horn 
Bull  is  surprised  at  this  unlooked-for  interference.  For  one 
fatal  instant  lie  hesitates ;  that  instant  is  his  last.  The  re- 
volver of  One  Feather  speaks,  and  Spotted  Horn  Bull  falls 
dead,  shot  through  the  heart.  A  wild  cry  rings  out  from  a 
hundred  throats,  and  a  storm  of  bullets  hurtles  and  sings 
around  One  Feather,  who,  kuiliag  kis  revolver  away,  stoops 


jp 


220  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

and  lifts  Bullhead  in  his  arms  and  carries  him  safely  out  of 
further  harm  into  the  house.  Well  done,  noble  One  Feath- 
er ! 

But  now  the  ammunition  of  the  police  is  nearly  gone.  Fly- 
ing By  holds  up  his  empty  belt  and  hurls  it  out  defiantly 
toward  the  enemy.  Many  others  are  out  of  cartridges,  but 
still  the  little  band  holds  its  own.  No  thought  of  surrender 
could  be  tolerated  a  moment,  even  with  ten  of  their  number 
dead  or  dying,  and  only  about  thirty  of  them  left  to  fight  the 
ever-increasing  enemy.  It  is  only  a  question  of  time,  and  a 
very  short  time  at  that,  before  the  few  cartridges  left  will  be 
gone ;  and  then,  the  slaughter  of  the  police. 

But  hark !  What  is  that  clear,  ringing  sound  borne  on  the 
breeze,  high  and  clear  above  all  the  noise  and  tumult  of  the 
firing  and  shouts?  Once  again  the  bugle  calls  out  its  wild 
notes,  and  the  eyes  of  all  the  combatants  are  turned  to  the 
hills,  whence,  a  second  later,  with  a  loud  hurrah  O  Troop 
comes  dashing  down  to  the  relief,  closely  followed  by  N 
Troop  as  a  reserve,  with  the  three-inch  rifle  and  Hotchkiss 
gun  rushed  into  position  on  the  crest  of  the  hills.  Once  more 
a  blast  on  the  trumpets,  and  simultaneously  fifty  carbines 
belch  out  smoke  and  flame,  carrying  death  into  the  now  dis- 
mayed ranks  of  the  hostiles,  who  are  preparing  to  seek  safe- 
ty in  flight.  Suddenly  there  comes  a  lull— dead  silence  — 
which  lasts  for  a  single  second,broken  by  a  crash  that  wakes 
all  the  echoes,  and  a  shell  has  screamed  its  way  from  the 
cannon  and  plunged  into  the  stronghold  of  the  savages.  A 
puff  of  white  smoke  goes  up,  followed  by  a  dull,  muffled  re- 
port, and  the  hostiles  are  seen  fleeing  for  their  lives,  and  the 
ground  occupied  by  them  so  recently  covered  with  their  dead 
or  dying. 

Red  Tomahawk  was  quick  to  grasp  the  changed  actuation, 
and  as  the  troops,  preceded  by  their  sturdy  commander,  rode 
upon  the  bloody  scene,  he  drew  up  the  little  remnant  of  his 
band  in  line  and  saluted.  As  for  the  hostiles,  the  fragment 
of  Sitting  Bull's  once  numerous  host,  now  dwindled  to  a 
handful,  had  disappeared  as  the  frost  before  the  sun.  Utter- 
ly thrashed  and  cowed,  they  scattered  and  ran,  uitfil,  fi.-a\v 
days  later,  they  had  ail  surrendered,  willing  captive*. 


INDIAN  MASSACRES. 


CHAFTEB  XXV. 

SITTING  BULL'S  ADOPTED  BROTHER— STORY  OF  SCOUT  GROUARD  AND 

HIS  six  YEARS'  LIFE  WITH  TEE  sioux  INDIANS. 

FRANK  GROUARD,  the  Indian  scout,  who  lived  in  St.  Joseph, 
Mo.,  at  the  time  this  story  was  given  to  the  public  by  the 
Chicago  Record,  recovered  from  the  surgical  operation  in 
which  an  arrowhead  was  removed  from  his  groin,  after  hav- 
ing been  imbedded  their  for  nearly  a  dozen  years.  The  sur- 
geons who  cut  the  flint  from  his  muscles  told  the  scout  the 
operation  would  probably  be  fatal,  and  a  few  days  later  he  was 
told  that  he  could  not  possibly  recover  ;but  he  had  endured  so 
many  tortures  while  he  was  captive  among  the  Sioux  In- 
vs  that  he  laughed  at  the  fears  of  the  physicians  and  re- 
gained his  health  in  spite  of  their  predictions.  While  the 
surgeons  were  operating  on  him  he  smoked  a  cigar,  and  ut 
no  time  was  he  impressed  with  the  idea  that  the  injury  would 
prove  fatal,  although  at  one  time  he  was  so  near  death  as  to 
be  unconscious,  and  apparently  lifeless. 

The  scout  has  never  been  willing  to  talk  freely  of  his  life 

•  ijg  the  Indians,  and  all  that  has  been  learned  of  that   ' 
v>d  has  been  drawn  from  him  by  close  questioning  in  un- 

,-ded  moments.    He  was  captured  by  Sitting  Bull  and  a 

.  11  band  of  followers  when  ID  years  old,  and  remained  with 

the  Indians  during  six  years,  a  greater  portion  of  the  time 

in  the  camp  of  Sitting  Bull,  through  whose  influence  he  was 

•  •a  from  torture  and  death.    At  the  time  of  his  capture 

iuvd  was  a  mail  rider  between  Fort  Hall  and  Fort  Peck. 
On  the  way  to  the  Indian  village  he  learned  the  name  of  his 
:  or,  and  made  up  his  mind  that  nothing  but  torture  was  < 
-tore  for  him.    Great  was  his  surprise  when  the  chief  an- " 
nouiiced  in  council  that  he  had  determined  to  spare  the  cap-   ' 
tive's  life,  and,  greater  still,  when  he  was  adopted  as  Sitting 
Bull's  brother. 

•'No  human  being  who  has  never  been  a  captive  among 

ges  can  realize  the  horrors  that  constantly  surrounded 

/   said  Grouard.     "I   was  sent  to  the  lodge  of  Sitting 

Bull's  mother  and  sister,  and  to  these  two  savage  women  I 

also  owe  my  life.    I  had  never  before  attempted  to  live  on  a 


222  INBIAN  MASSACRES. 

meat  diet  alone,  and  I  found  that  w«is  th«  enly  food  the  In- 
dians had,  without  salt  or  seasoning.  I  was  stricken  with  a 
strange  illness,  and  do  not  know  how  long  I  was  ill.  Noth- 
ing would  supply  my  craving  for  bread,  and  in  my  troubled 
dreams  I  saw  loaves  of  it  j  ust  out  of  reach  of  my  outsti  etched 
arms.  White  Cow  divine  i  the  cause  of  my  sickness,  and  in 
the  spring,  when  :,»EB  from  the  agencies  came  out  to 

the  hostile  tribes,  she  bought  small  quantities  of  flour,  coffee, 
salt  and  pepper,  for  which  si-.e  paid  an  enormous  price  in 
ponies  and  furs.  When  I  awoke  one  day  there  was  a  smell 
of  burning  bread  and  boiling  coffee  in  the  teepee,  and  for  a 
moment  1  could  not  realize  that  I  was  still  a  captive.  When 
the  flour  was  all  gone  White  Cow  would  gather  turnips,  dry 
them  and  pound  them  into  a  pulp,  from  which  she  would 
make  a  porridge.  In  time  I  learned  to  live  on  a  meat  diet 
alone. 

"I  was  closely  guarded  for  sixteen  months  after  my  capt- 
ure, my  guards  being  Little  Assiniboine  and  White  Eagle, 
the  latter  a  cousin  of  Sitting  Bull.  It  was  customary  in  the 
spring  of  the  year  to  move  the  camp  toward  the  north,  to 
meet  the  vast  herds  of  buffalo  coming  down,  and  in  the  fall 
the  Indians  generally  located  on  the  Belle  Fourche  or  Little 
Missouri  river,  where  game  was  plentiful.  It  was  on  the 
first  hunt  that  I  killed  a  deer  in  a  running  shot  at  a  great 
distance  with  an  old  flint-lock  gun  that  had  been  given  me. 
The  feat  so  pleased  Sitting  Bull  that  he  presented  me  with  a 
Hawkins  rifle  and  from  that  time  no  restrictions  were  placed 
on  my  movements.  I  roamed  the  wilds  at  will  and  acquired 
a  thorough  and  intimate  knowledge  of  every  mountain  pass, 
crag,  ravine  and  canyon  in  the  great  stretch  of  country  now 
known  as  Wyoming,  Dakota  and  Montana. 

"My  name  among  the  Indians  was  Standing  Bear.  It  was 
given  to  me  because  I  was  dressed  in  a  fur  overcoat,  cap  and 
mittens  when  captured.  In  the  winter  of  1 870 1  went  out  with 
a  war  party  for  the  first  time.  The  Sioux  and  the  Crows 
were  always  at  war.  About  the  time  we  left  the  Sioux  village 
\ve  struck  the  trail  of  a  war  party  of  Crows  going  toward  the 
Sioux  camp,  with  the  evident-  intention  of  running  off  as 
many  ponies  as  they  could.  We  returned  to  camp  and  met 
the  Crows,  driving  them  into  the  bad  lands,  where  they 
sought  shelter  in  a  basin,  behind  a  wall  of  rocks.  The  attack 


INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

was  •&&  wy  Sitting  Bull  himself,  and  theirush  toward  the  spot 
where  the  Orows  were  intrenched  meant  death  to  many  of 
the  Sioux  warriors.  The  chief  went  in  advance  of  his  braves, 
jumped  over  the  rocks  into  the  pit  and  had  killed  a  number 
of  Crows  betore  the  others  arrived  to  assist  him.  In  point  of 
numbers  the  war  parties  were  about  the  same,  but  all  the 
Crows  were  killed  and  only  a  few  of  the  Sioux.  The  bodies 
of  the  enemies  were  scalped  and  left  where  they  were  slain. 
There  must  have  been  a  hundred  dead  Indians  in  that  gulch, 
and  it  was  one  ol  the  bloodiest  scenes  I  ever  witnessed. 

"  One  of  the  biggest  Indian  clean-ups  I  ever  knew  any- 
thing about  occurred  a  short  time  before  that,  on  Beaver 
creek,  about  midway  between  Fort  Hall  and  Milk  river. 
Tour  hundred  Gros  Ventre  Indians  were  camped  there,  some 
of  them  confined  to  their  lodges  with  the  small-pox.  The 
Blackfeet  made  a  raid  on  the  village  and  only  two  of  the 
Gros  Ventres  escaped  alive.  We  heard  of  the  massacre  and 
a  party  of  us  went  over  there  from  the  Sioux  camp.  A 
month  later  I  passed  by  the  place  with  a  hunting  party.  The 
half-decomposed  bodies  of  the  victims  were  scattered  about 
in  every  direction,  and  were  being  eaten  by  wolves  and  other 
wild  animals.  None  of  them  were  ever  buried.  I  saw  a 
great  many  barbarous  things  while  I  lived  with  the  Indians, 
but  the  scene  in  the  Gros  Ventre  village  after  the  massacre 
by  the  Blackfeet  was  the  most  sickening  sight  I  ever  wit- 
nessed. 

"  From  the  time  of  my  capture  up  to  1872  I  was  not  re- 
quired to  undergo  any  of  the  self-inflicted  tortures  of  the 
Sioux,  but  after  I  became  one  of  them  to  all  intents  and  pur- 
poses I  knew  what  to  expect.  While  we  were  camped  where 
Glendive,  Mont. ,  now  stands,  the  whole  tribe  gathered  one 
day  about  the  sweat  and  I  was  informed  ihat  I  was  to  be  put 
to  the  test.  All  the  Indians  gathered  around,  taking  posi- 
tions where  they  could  watch  my  face.  Sitting  Bull,  No 
Neck,  Gall,  Four  Horns,  Little  Assiniboihe  and  other  head 
men  of  the  tribe  sat  near  me  smoking  their  pipes.  Four 
warriors  squatted  on  each  side  of  me  and  with  needles  raised 
up  the  flesli  between  the  shoulder  and  elbow  on  each  arm 
and  cut  out  pieces  the  size  of  a  pea,  taking  480  pieces  out  of 
each  arm.  The  skin  and  flesh  were  taken  off  in  five  rows  on 
each  arm.  It  was  not  paiaful  at  first,  but  before  they  were 


2*24  INDIAN  MA3SAC". 

through  there  was  a  stream  of  agony  pouring  from  my  arms 
to  iny  heart  that  was  almost  unbearable.  I  did  not  open  my 
lips  or  make  a  sound  while  they  were  torturing  me,  although 
the  operation  lasted  four  hours.  The  next  time  I  was  tort- 
ured all  my  eyebrows  and  eyelashes  were  pulled  out.  After 
that  I  went  through  the  tortures  as  stoically  as  the  Indians 
themselves,  even  including  the  tortures  of  the  sun  dance, 
when  horsehair  ropes  were  tied  in  the  muscles  of  the  breast 
and  back  and  torn  out  by  sheer  force. 

"Sitting  Bull  would  never  make  a  treaty  with  the  whites. 
For  the  purpose  of  securing  supplies  he  made  a  treaty  with 
the  Bed  river  half-breeds  to  bring  him  such  articles  as  his 
tribe  needed,  and  when  the  half-  breeds  came  .they  brought 
five  slcighloads  of  whisky.  There  was  nothing  but  drinking 
in  the  village  as  long  as  the  whisky  lasted,  and  it  ended  in 
a  terrible  fight,  from  which  the  half  breeds  were  glad  to  es- 
cape with  their  lives.  The  faction  opposing  Sitting  null 
tried  to  kill  him.  There  were  5,000  Indians  in  the  village  at 
that  time,  and  many  were  killed.  Many  lodges  were  torn 
down  or  burned. 

"  The  next  spring  a  Yankton  Indian  from,  the  agency  at 
Fort  Feck  came  into  our  camp.  I  sent  a  letter  by  him  to  the 
agent,  telling  him  what  the  Eed  river  half-breeds  had  done. 
The  agent  sent  the  Yankton  back  in  a  few  months  asking  me 
to  come  in,  as  he  wished  to  see  me.  He  also  wanted  me  to 
bring  Sitting  Lull  in  so  they  could  make  a  treaty  with  him 
and  get  the  hostile  trade.  In  a  short  time  Sitting  Bull,  Lit- 
tle Assiniboine,  Black  Shield  and  myself  went  to  Fort  Peck, 
where  a  big  council  was  held,  but  Sitting  Bull  flatly  refused 
to  have  "any  thing  to  do  with  the  whites.  While  we  were 
there  the  agent  told  me  he  wanted  me  to  go  with  a  party  to 
Capture  the  half-breeds  who  had  been  selling  whisky. 

"  To  get  away  from  Sitting  Bull  without  him  finding  out 
where  I  was  going  I  had  to  tell  him  I  was  going  on  the 
warpath  to  steal  horses.  I  told  him  I  was  going  up  tho 
Missouri.  I  went  instead  with  some  troops  to  a  place  on 
Frenchman's  creek,  where  the  half-breeds  were  camped,  and 
picked  out  the  ones  who  had  taken  whisky  to  the  Indians. 
The  soldiers  arrested  a  lot  of  them.  They  gave  me  three 
horses  so  I  could  make  Sitting  Bull  believe  I  had  stolen 
them.  I  gave  the  horses  to  Sitting  Bull,  and,  as  he  was  very 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  225 

much  pleased  to  think  I  would  go  out  alone  and  steal  horses, 
he  told  every  Indian  he  saw  about  it.  There  were  some 
Santee  Indians  in  the  camp  of  the  half-breeds  arid  they  rec- 
ognized me.  In  about  ten  days  they  came  into  our  camp 
and  told  Sitting  Bull  all  about  it.  He  was  the  maddest  man 
I  erer  saw  and  said  he  would  kill  me  on  sight.  His  mother 
kept  him  from  killing  me.  Gall  and  the  other  members  of 
the  faction  who  were  opposed  to  Sitting  Bull  wanted  me  to 
com©  over  on  that  side  of  the  village,  but  I  would  not  go. 
Sitting  Bull  never  spoke  to  me  after  that,  and  when  the 
camp  moved  I  got  on  one  side  and  he  went  on  the  other,so  we 
kept  apart.  Soon  after  that  I  went  over  to  the  Ogallala  camp 
with  Crazy  Horse,  and  never  went  back  to  Sitting  Bull's 
camp  again. 

"  After  I  went  to  the  camp  of  Crazy  Horse  [I  was  still  with 
the  hostiles,  who  never  went  to  the  "agencies.  The  agency 
Indians  would  come  to  us,  and  it  was  from  them  that  we  se- 
cured ammunition.  One  spring  w«  were  entirely  out  of  am- 
munition and  our  provisions  were  very  low. The  Indian  village 
was  then  on  the  head  of  the  Rosebud  river.  We  were  expecting 
a  party  of  agency  Indians  with  supplies,  and  it  was  decided  to 
send  a  party  out  to  look  for  them.  We  saw  what  we  took  to 
be  smoke  signals  near  the  mouth  of  Tongue  river,  distant 
about  four  days'  travel.  Myself  and  two  Indians  started  out 
to  bring  the  agency  Indians  in.  We  left  the  village  with  one 
days'  rations  and  no  ammunition. 

"  When  we  arrived  at  the  mouth  of  Tongue  river  we 
found  where  a  fire  had  been,  but  there  was  no  sign  of  the 
agency  Indians,  so  there  was  nothing  to  do  but  go  back.  On 
the  way  back  to  the  village  all  three  of  us  became  nearly  in- 
«an®  from  hunger,  havingfceen  eight  days  without  a  particle 
of  food.  We  were  within  twenty  miles  of  the  camp  when  \\o 
managed  to  kill  three  prairie  chickens  with  a  bow  and  ar- 
rows. My  companions  tore  the  fo\vls  apart  and  ate  them 
raw.  I  roasted  the  necks  and  ate  sparingly  of  them.  We 
were  ten  days  in  making  the  trip,  aud  when  we  reached  the 
village  were  nothing  but  skin  and  bones.  The  flesh  ou  our 
faces  was  so  drawn  that  we  were  almost  unrecognizable.  My 
two  companions  died  in  a  few  days. 

"  The  next  year  I  wont  into  the  agency  with  a  party  of  In- 
dians, but  had  no  opportunity  of  making  my  escape.  We 


226  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

only  stopped  a  short  time,  and  then  went  down  on 
river,  /ill  the  time  I  was  studying  about  a  plau  to  escape. 
The  next  spring  I  went  out  with  a  party  i^oin^  to  Laramie 
river.  It  was  a  war  party,  and  the  night  they  started  to 
make  a  raid  on  the  ranches  I  started  for  the  agency.  I  nevsr 
went  back  to  the  Indians  again." 


INDIAN  MASSACRES. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

MOQUI  MDULNS  ON  THE  WAR-PATH— THEIR  LEADERS    CAPTURED  AND 
PLACED  IN  PRISON  AT  TORT  WINGKATE,  N.  M. 

TROOPS  sent  out  to  the  Moqui  Indian  reservation  in  No- 
vember, 1894,  returned  in  February,  1895,  bringing  with  them 
19  prisoners.  All  of  the  leading  hostiles  who  were  danger- 
ous to  the  peace  of  the  reservation  were  put  under  lock  aud 
key  at  Fort  Wingate,  New  Mexico.  There  were  some  cele- 
brated personages  among  them  and,  as  long  as  the  govern- 
ment keeps  them  under  surveillance,  there  is  no  danger  of  a 
recurrence  of  the  recent  strife  in  Moqui.  The  causes  that 
led  to  the  outbreak  is  told  by  Lieut.  L.  M.  Brett,  adjutant  at 
Fort  Wingate. 

There  are  several  villages  of  the  Moquis,  upon  the  high 
mesas,  in  Arizona.  Their  reservation  is  in  the  northern  part 
of  the  territory  and  is  distant  about  160  miles  from  Fort 
Wingate.  Oraiba  is  the  largest  of  their  towns  and  occupies 
a  commanding  site,  upon  a  very  abrupt  bluff,  near  the  cen- 
ter of  the  reservation. 

Several  years  ago  the  government  provided  schools  for 
these  Indians,  and  that  was  the  first  step  toward  the  trouble. 
The  tribe  almost  immediately  divided  into  factions,  one  pro- 
gressive and  inclined  to  take  advantage  of  the  opportunities 
"offered  them  and  the  other  averse  to  the  inauguration  of  an 
educational  era.  The  split  widened,  and  the  following  upon 
either  side. for  a  time  was  about  equal,  in  poiut  of  numbers. 
But  Lo-ma-hung-yo-ma,  the  belligerent  chief  (who,  by  the 
way,  was  not  a  chief  at  all,  but  simply  a  leader  proclaimed 
by  the  dissatisfied  faction),  so  worked  upon  the  minds  of  the 
people  that  his  following  became  very  much  stronger  than 
that  of  the  rightful  chief,  Lo-lo  la-mi.  Then  Lo-ma-lnmg- 
yo-ma  began  a  series  of  abuses  and  went  to  the  extreme 
length  of  seizing  the  cultivated  lands  of  the  friendlier  and 
khe  confiscation  of  their  personal  property.  Finally,  in  June, 
18 •')!,  a  request  for  troops  was  received  through  the  depart- 
ment headquarters,  and  I  was  sent  in  command  of  a  .small 
•hment  to  Oraiba  to  settle  the  difficulties,  aud  r 
.  We  had  no  idea  here  that  the  Moquis  would  resist 


INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

the  authority  of  the  government,  and  therefore  only  ten  men 
accompanied  me  on  this  trip.  When  we  reached  a  point 
within  two  miles  of  Oraiba,  the  Moquis  at  work  in  a  field 
started  to  run.  We  headed  some  of  them  off  and  asked  what 
they  were  running  for,  but  they  would  not  give  a  satisfactory 
answer.  As  we  did  not  know  whether  they  were  members  of 
the  hostile  band  or  not,  we  did  not  detain  them,  but  permit- 
ted them  to  go  on  to  Oraiba.  I  sent  a  boy  to  the  village  to 
bring  Lo-lo-la-mi  to  our  camp,  and  the  old  chief  came  as 
soo!i  as  my  message  reached  him.  When  he  saw  the  small 
force  of  men  I  had  with  me,  he  counselled  us  not  to  go  into 
the  village,  and  assured  us  that  we  would  all  be  killed.  The 
hostiles,  he  said,  numbered  fully  100  men,  all  well  armed  and 
desperate.  They  were  determined  to  run  the  tribe  their  own 
way,  and  would  not  brook  the  interference  of  the  troops,  and 
especially  in  such  small  force  as  we  presented.  They  had 
barricaded  the  narrow  streets  of  the  village,  and  were  pre- 
pared for  a  siege.  Oraiba  is  built  upon  a  very  high  mesa, 
and  the  trail  leading  up  to  it  is  very  steep  and  narrow.  We 
were  told  that  we  would  all  be  shot  down  as  we  ascended  the 
trail,  and  that  we  would  not  be  permitted  to  enter  the  village 
at  all.  I  settled  that  point  by  capturing  ten  of  Lo-ma-huug- 
yo-ma's  men,  who  were  hovering  about,  watching  us ;  then  I 
sent  word  to  him  that  I  was  coming  into  town,  and  that  if 
we  were  fired  upon  each  soldier  would  shoot  his  prisoner  on 
the  spot.  We  went  into  the  village  unmolested.  I  thought 
there  was  a  good  deal  of  talk  about  Lo-ma-hung-yo-ma,  ancfr 
was  not  very  much  afraid  of  him.  I  marched  my  small  force 
to  the  center  of  the  village  and  suddenly  found  myself  sur- 
rounded by  at  least  300  of  the  Moquis,  all  armed  and  ready 
for  fight.  Lo-ma-hung-yo-ma  (which  translated  means 
"bad")  informed  me  that  my  time  had  arrived  to  pray ;  that 
I  had  only  five  minutes  in  which  to  arrange  my  earthly  af- 
fairs and  take  my  departure  to  the  happy  hunting  grounds. 
It  was  a  predicament  I  had  not  thought  of,  and  it  looked 
veiy  gloomy  for  us  j  ust  about  that  time.  We  would  have 
killed  some  Moquis,  but  we  would  have  been  wiped  out  as 
effectually  as  was  poor  Ouster  and  his  gallant  men,  in  that 
death  trap  in  the  Little  Big  Horn  country. 

I  thought  I  would  try  a  '  bluff,'  anyhow,  and  I  made  him 
a  talk,  which  was  generously  interpreted.    I  told  him  a  great 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  2 

many  things  that  would  happen  to  him  if  ho  fired  upon  us, 
and  concluded  by  assuring  him  that,  if  he  killed  us,  within 
three  days  the  plains  all  around  and  about  Oraiba  would  be 
teeming  with  soldiers  and  that  every  Moqui  in  tin  village 
AY ould  be  slaughtered.  This  last  was  a  contingency  he  had 
not  thought  of.  He  pondered  over  it  a  long  time,  finally  al- 
lowing us  to  retreat  slowly  from  the  dangerous  pocket  into 
which  we  had  walked.  Other  troops  were  sent  for  and,  upon 
their  arrival,  Lo-ma-hung-yo-ma  and  six  of  his  lieutenants 
were  arrested  and  escorted  back  to  the  post.  That  eii'.ed 
the  matter  for  the  time  being,  and  we  thought  no  more  of 
the  Moquis.  Just  one  incident  occurred  there,  by  the  way, 
that  will  illustrate  how  easy  it  would  have  been  at  one  time 
to  have  precipitated  a  massacre.  Lo-lo-la-mi,  the  friendly 
chief,  was  with  us,  and,  seeing  a  chance  to  shoot  Lo-ma- 
hung-yo-ma  when  that  ge  :tleman  wasn't  looking,  he 
snatched  a  pistol  from  the  belt  of  one  of  my  men  and  leveled 
it  at  his  enemy.  I  caught  it  by  the  barrel  j  ust  in  time  to  pre- 
vent his  firing.  That  shot  would  have  sealed  our  fate. 

Nothing  more  was  heard  from  the  Moquis  until  October, 
1894.  Lo-ma-hung-yo-ma  had,  in  the  meantime,  been  re- 
leased from  prison  and  had  returned  to  his  tribe.  Discon- 
tent soon  broke  out,  and  in  the  month  named  a  request  for 
troops  came  through  School  Superintendent  Kussell  and 
Captain  Constant  Williams,  Indian  agent  at  Oraiba.  In  his 
communication,  Captain  Williams  stated  to  the  Interior  De- 
partment that  the  host-lies  were  again  taking  the  lands  and 
crops  away  from  the  other  faction,  and  that  a  murderous 
outbreak  was  likely  to  oq.cur  at  any  time.  Orders  were, 
therefore,  issued  by  Colonel  Hunt,  commanding  the  post, 
directing  Captain  Frank  U.  Kobinson,  Second  Cavalry,  to 
proceed,  with  two  troops  of  cavalry,  to  Moquil,  arrest  all  the 
leaders  in  the  disturbance  and  settle  matters  to  the  satisfac- 
tion of  the  local  authorities  and  the  Indian  agent  there. 
Captain  Robinson  left  Fort  Wingate  Nov.  17,  with  Troops  G 
and  H  of  the  Second  Cavalry  and  a  Hotchkiss  gun.  The  lat- 
ter was  in  charge  of  Lieutenant  C.  C.  Smith,  Second  Cav.-vry, 
and  a  detachment  of  four  men  from  K  Troop,  of  the  s.-inie 
nent. 

command  reached  Reams'  Canyon  on  the  21st  of  No- 
or,  where  Captain  Williams,   tho  Indian  agent,  joined 


230  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

it.  Captain  Robinson  was  in  formed  fully  regarding  affairs 
at  Oraiba,  and  prepared  to  meet  certain  emergencies  which 
seemed  inevitable.  The  command  left  Reams'  Canyon  on  the 
24th  of  November,  and  reached  camp  at  the  foot  of  the  mesa 
upon  which  Oraiba  is  situated,  at  1  o'clock  the  next  afternotfn. 
Mr.  Thomas  Keam,  a  trader,  joined '.the  troops  here  and 
proved  a  valuable  aid  to  Captain  Robinson,  for  the  reason 
that  he  personally  know  all  of  the  hostiles  and  knew  every- 
thing about  the  Moquis  as  far  as  related  to  the  present  troub- 
le. With  Mr.  Keam  was  an  Indian  named  Tom  Po-la-ka,  an 
interpreter,  who  was  aiso  well  acquainted  with  the  hostiles 
who  were  wanted  by  Captain  Robinson.  Couriers  had  evi- 
dently been  sent  out  to  all  the  surrounding  tribes  announc- 
ing that  a  great  fight  was  to  occur  between  Lo-ma-hung-yo- 
ma?s  men  and  the  soldiers,  for  Navajos  and  Moquis  from  re- 
mote villages  had  flocked  to  the  scene  to  witness  the  fight  and 
to  pillage  the  vanquished,  whichever  way  victory  might  go. 
The  first  thing  Captain  Robinsoa  did  was  to  place  these  In- 
dians where  they  would  do  the  least  harm. 

When  everything  had  been  arranged,  Captain  Robinson 
moved  upon  the  village.  He  marched  his  force  to  the  rear 
of  the  town,  and  there  formed  in  line,  with  H  troop  on  the 
right,  G  troop  on  the  left,  and  the  Hotchkiss  gun  in  the  cen- 
ter. In  the  meantime  there  was  intense  excitement  in  Orai- 
ba. Indians  were  seen  scurrying  here,  there  .and  every- 
where ;  some  were  armed,  others  carried  sticks  and  clubs ; 
Lo-ma-hung-yo-ma  and  his  body  guard  had  barricaded  them- 
selves in  a  strong  house  and  everything  seemed  ripe  for  a 
conflict.  The  soldiers  were  ready,  too,  and  only  wanted  a 
chance  to  clean  up  a  few  hundred  Indians,  as  they  expressed 
it,  just  to  get  a  little  rifle  practice.  But  Captain  Robinson 
wasn't  there  to  sacrifice  life  unnecessarily,  and  before  order- 
ing an  advance  into  the  streets  ^of  the  village,  criers  were 
sent  in,  ordering  all  the  Indians  to  come  out  where  the 
troops  were  and  hear  the  orders  of  the  commander.  Soon 
there  was  a  great  gathering  in  the  open  space  in  front  of  the 
houses,  or  in  the  rear  of  them,  rather,  and  when  all  had  ar- 
rived, the  names  of  the  Indians  who  were  wanted  were  read 
out.  As  fast  as  their  names  were  called,  they  were  pointed 
out  by  Mr.  Keam  or  Captain  Williams,  and  all  save  two  were 
under  arrest  before  they  knew  what  was  happening.  The 


wi 

~^j* 


INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

arrest  of  the  chief  and  the  medicine  man,  who  were  the  chief 
instigators  of  all  the  discontent  and  trouble,  left  the  ho, tiles 
without  leaders  and  they  did  not  know  how  to  act.  The  war 
was  over  before  it  had  fairly  begun,  and  there  was  no  chance 
for  a  fight,  which  both  sides  were  spoiling  for.  The  arrest 
of  eighteen  prisoners  was  accomplished  within  a  few  min- 
utes, and  Captain  Robinson  returned  to  his  camp  at  the  foot 
of  the  mesa.  Two  Indian.--,,  however,  could  not  be  found. 
One  of  these  was  Ha-bi-ma,  a  medicine  man  who  was  partic- 
ularly wanted,  and  the  other  a  leader  in  Lo-ma-hung-yo- 
ma'sbaad.  Several  attempts  were  made  to  get  them,  but 
neither  of  them  was  caught  until  late  at  night,  and  then 
only  Ha-bi-ma  was  found.  Lieutenant  Sawtell,  Second  Car- 
;:lry,  refers  to  this  ia  his  narrative  of  the  campaign.  Among 
other  things  he  said  : 

"  I  was  left  in  charge  of  the  camp  at  the  foot  of  the  mesa 
when  the  troops  went  to  the  village  to  make  the  arrests.  I 
had  six  men  with  me,  and,  while  I  regretted  very  much  not 
being  able  to  be  at  the  village,  yet  we  had  enough  to  do  to 
keep  us  awake  down  there.  There  was  a  fee 'ing  prevalent 
everywhere  that  there  ^oird  be  a  big  fight.  This  caused  all 
the  roving  bands  of  Navajos  and  Moquis  in  the  country  to 
come  there,  and  if  there  had  been  a  battle  it  is  not  difficult 
to  guess  which  side  they  would  have  assisted.  Whenever 
one  of  these  bands  came  within  hailing  distance  of  the  camp 
they  were  stopped  and  asked  to  step  up  to  the  fire.  There  I 
ordered  them  to  be  disarmed,  and  all  their  guns  and  pistols 
were  piled  up  in  a  heap  before  the  fire.  Those  who  had  been 
armed  were  kept  prisoners  until  the  troops  returned  from 
Oriiiba.  When  I  saw  the  troops  returning  with  their  prison- 
ers I  knew  there  would  be  no  fight  and  consequently  turned 
my  prisoners  loose,  after  returning  their  belongings. 

'*  In  the  evening  Captain  Eobinson  directed  me  to  detail  a 
sergeant,  a  corporal  and  six  men,  to  go  into  the  villagb  to 
capture  the  two  Indians  who  had  escaped  arrest  in  the  after- 
noon. It  had  been  reported  to  us  that  both  of  them  were  in 
a  certain  part  of  the  town.  1  sent  Sergeant  Hensor  with  six 
men  and  another  non-commissioned  officer  to  apprehend 
them.  I  think  Sergeant  Henser's  adventure,  as  he  narrated 
It  to  me,  was  the  most  exciting  episode  of  the  campaign.  My 
instructions  to  him  were  to  divide  the  guard,  sending  three 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  233 

men  with  the  corporal  to  one  house  and  taking  three  men 
with  himself  into  another  house,  wheiefx'the  men  were  sup- 
posed to  be  in  hiding.  Sergeant  TIenscr  caught  his  man,  but 
the  other  detail  of  the  guard  were  less  fortunate,  for  they  re- 
turned empty  handed. 

*'*  The  Indian  boy, who  brought  us  word  as  to  the  whereabouts 
of  the  two  Indians,  guide:!  the  guard  to  the  houses.  One  of 
these  was  the  house  in  which  were  kept  the  ceremonial  robes 
of  the  Moqui  priesthood  and  it  is  a  house  tint  had  never 
been  entered  by  a  white  m  in.  f  he  houses,  as  you  know,  are 
entered  through  the  roofs.  A  ladder  reaches  the  roof  from 
the  ground  and  the  doorway  is  only  a  scuttle  hole  in  the  top 
of  the  house.  The  tirst  room  may  be  three  or  four  stories 
from  the  ground,  a-,id  communication  is  had  with  the  lower 
rooms  by  means  of  rickety  ladders,  similar  to  the  one  used 
to  scale  the  outer  wail,  except  shorter.  Ttn  house  was  as 
dark  as  Egypt  and  there  was  no  knowing  at  what  moment 
the  soldiers  would  be  shot  or  stabbed  from  behind.  They 
got  trace  of  the  medicine  man  in  the  middle  room  and  the 
chase  led  them  to  the  cellar,  which  was  cut  out  of  the  solid 
rock  underneath  the  ho:;se.  There  were  two  rooms ;  in  one 
of  them  a  woman  was  found,  standing  in  the  corner.  There 
were  masks  and  robes  of  all  sorts  hanging  on  the  walls  all 
about  the  room.  False  faces,  made  from  wolf  and  wildcat 
heads,  masks  and  head  ornaments,  painted  in  the  most  fan- 
tastic and  savage  manner,  weapons,  spears,  bows,  arrows— 
in  fact,  everything  pertaining  to  the  uses  of  the  priests  was 
stored  in  this  cellar  or  estufa. 

"  The  entrance  to  the  second  room  was  screened  by  a  hang- 
ing blanket  of  unusual  design.  The  Indian  woman,  who  was 
evidently  the  custodian  of  the  place,  stood  ready  to  prevent 
the  entrance  of  the  sergeant  and  his  men  into  that  holy  of 
holie-s.  Sergeant  Henser  thrust  the  hanging  blanket  aside, 
and  stepped  into  the  doorway.  As  he  did  so  he  saw  a  mov- 
ing figure  underneath  a  pile  of  priestly  wraps,  and  grabbed 
it.  It  proved  to  be  the  medicine  man,  very  much  alive  and 
full  of  fight:  At  the  instant  he  caught  the  medicine  man, 
the  Indian  woman  on  the  other  side  of  the  doorway  sprang 
upon  him  like  a  tiger  cat  and  struck  him  a.  furious  blow  in 
the  back  with  a  bunch  of  steel-tipped  arrows.  His  heavy 
overcoat  saved  him  and  the  blow  glanced  off.  The  infuriat- 


INDIAN  MAK 


ed  haj  snatched  up  a  bow,  fitted  an  arrow  to  it  in  the  twink- 
ling of  an  eye,  pulled  it  taut  and  in  another  second  the  brave 
sergeant  would  have  been  killed  in  his  tracks,  but  for  the 
fortunate  arrival  of  one  of  his  men,  who  had  been  searching 
the.  other  rooms.  The  soldier  took  in  the  situation  at  a 
glance,  threw  himself  upon  the  priestess  and  diverted  her 
aim.  A  struggle  ensued  for  the  possession  of  the  bow,  and 
eventually  the  woman  was  overpowered,  but  not  until  she 
h  id  given  the  soldier  a  fight  that  he  would  not  soon  forget. 
The  modicine  man  was  delivered  safely  at  the  camp  within 
an  hour." 

The  return  of  the  troops  with  their  prisoners  to  Fort  Win- 
g;ite  was  accomplished  in  three  days  and  a  half  after  leaving 
us'  Canyon,  the  Indians  traveling  on  foot  all  the  way. 
O  e  mounted  guard  was  assigned  to  each  of  the  nineteen  In- 
dians. The  troopers  rode  their  horses  at  a  trot  the  greater 
p-.ut  oT  the  distance  and  the  Indians  ran  alongside,  the  horses 
easily  keeping  up  the  pace  for  five  or  six  hours  at  a  time. 
The  prisoners  were  placed  in  the  guard  house  at  Fort  Win  - 
gate  to  remain  there  until  disposed  of  by  the  Interior  De- 
partment. They  were  givon  a  comfortable,  clean  room, 
good  beds  and  blankets,  three  meals  of  substantial  army  ra- 
tions every  day  and  seemed  to  be  perfectly  contented.  They 
\\  ill  profit  greatly  in  every  way  by  being  the  guests  of  Uncle 
Sam. 


INDIA!*  MASS  ACRES.  235 


CHAPTEK  XXVII. 

A    TRAGIC     CHAPTER    IN     THE    PIONEER    HISTORY    OF     THE    UPPE$ 
DELAWARE 

AMONG  the  papers  and  old  documents  left  by  Paul  S.  Pres- 
ton of  Wayne  county,  Pa.,  and  now  in  the  possession  of  his 
daughter,  Anna  Preston,  of  Middlttown,  N.  Y.,  is  a  diary 
kept  by  his  father,  Judge  Samuel  Preston,  more  than  a  cent- 
ury ago.  Samuel  Preston  was  a  Quaker  from  Philadelphia, 
and  was  a  pioneer  of  the  upper  Delaware  Valley,  whithei  he 
went  as  a  surveyor  in  the  employ  of  Robert  Morris,  the  fi- 
nancier of  the  Revolution,  and  others,  while  the  most  of 
northern  Pennsylvania  was  still  comprised  in  the  manors  of 
the  descendants  of  William  Penn.  In  1787,  Preston  was  ex- 
ploring and  prospecting  in  what  is  now  Pike  county,  Pa., 
near  the  present  village  of  Shohola.  Following  is  an  entry 
he  made  in  his  diary  at  that  time : 

JULY  6,  1787. — Started  this  morning  with  Ben  Haynea,  John 
Hessum  and  Felix  Hooper.  Reached  the  river  Before  night 
and  crossed  iu  a  canoe  to  Ben  Haynes'  house  in  York  state. 
He  being  lame  from  running  a  stub  in  his  foot,  I  settled  with 
him  and  paid  him.  As  to  his  character,  he  is  a  Low  Dutch<= 
man,  a  gro:;t  hunter,  and  well  acquainted  with  the  woods. 
There  is  a  dark  stain  on  his  character.  *  *  *  One  evening, 
some  time  ago,  there  came  a  panti.er  into  his  house  and  took 
one  of  the  children  from  out  of  the  cradle  and  was  carrying 
it  off,  but  his  wife, a  lesolute  woman, with  the  dog,  rescued  it. 
The  child  was  much  wounded.  It  is  still  living.  I  have  seen 
the  scars. 

The  stealing  of  this  child  by  the  panther  has  been  a  f; 
ite  tale  in  the  upper  Delaware  Valley  for  generations,    but 
the  household  version  of  the  incident  varies  much  from  tkat 
in  the  old  Preston  diary,  and  the  latter  is  undoubtedly  the 
true  a  As  the  story  is  told  by  the  backwoods  fireside, 

Mrs.  Haynes,  one  day  when  her  husband  was  absent  on  a 
hunting  trip,  took  her  baby  from  their  cabin,  which  stood 
near  where  the  village  of  Barryville,  Sullivan  county,  N.  Y., 
now  is,  and  went  to  the  creek  to  do  her  washing.  The  baby 
was  but  a  few  months  eld,  and  Mrs.  Kaynes  plaeed  it  ©a  the 


236  '  INDIAN  M;*SSACRES. 

ground  near  where  she  was  at  work.  As  she  was  busy 
pounding  the  clothes  she  heard  a  cry  from  her  baby,  and, 
looking  around,  saw  a  large  panther  moving  deliberately  off 
with  the  child  in  its  mouth.  The  mother  started  in  pursuit, 
carrying  her  heavy  clothes  pounder  as  a  weapon.  The 
panther  did  not  move  very  fast,  and  Mrs.  Haynes  soon  over- 
took it.  Attacking  it  with  her  pounder,  she  forced  the  bold 
beast  to  drop  the  child,  and  a  fevv  additional  blows  from  her 
formidable  weapon  put  it  to  flight. 

The  "dark  stain"  on  Ben  Haynes'  character,  mentioned 
by  Samuel  Preston  in  the  above  entry  in  his  diary,  is  a  ref- 
erence to  a  cold-blooded  murder.  One  of  the  historic  char- 
acters of  the  Delaware  Valley,  whose  career  was  one  of  blood, 
was  Tom  Quick,  the  Indian  slayer.  When  he  was  a  young 
man  Indians  killed  uis  father,  the  first  settler  at  the  present 
site  of  Milford,  Pa.,  and  Tom  swore  vengeance  against  all 
Indians,  although  he  had  lived  among  them,  and  was  almost 
an  Indian  himself.  For  many  years  he  carried  on  a  relent- 
less warfare  against  them.  Tradition  says  that  he  killed 
ninety-nine  Indians,  and  on  his  death-bed  his  only  regret 
was  that  he  £ould  not  make  the  number  an  even  hundred. 
He  is  cannonized  in  the  Delaware  Yalley  as  a  hero,  but,  as  a 
matter  of  fact,  his  exploits  show  him  to  have  been  an  assas- 
sin. 

In  1784,  the  Indians  had  nearly  all  been  driven  from  the 
Delaware  Yalley.  A  few  solitary  and  miserable  members  of 
a  once  proud  and  defiant  tribe  remained,  scattered  here  and 
there  through  the  region,  living  by  fishing  a-;d  hunting  and 
on  charity.  Among  them  were  two  named  Huycon  and  Ka- 
nope.  In  1784,  they  appeared  near  Shoiiola  to  hunt  afid  li.-h. 
Ben  Haynes,  who  had  himself  been  a  deadly  enemy  of  the 
red  men,  had  his  cabin  on  the  N*e\v  York  state  side  of  the 
Delaware,  and  Tom  Quick's  cabin  was  on  the  Pennsylvania 
side,  up  the  Shohola  creek  a  mile  or  so  from  the  river. 

Hayues,  having  discovered  the  two  Indians,  went  to  their 
camp  and  invited  them  to  go  fishing  with  him  next  day  in 
Handsome  Eddy,  in  the  Delaware  not  far  below  his  cabin. 
The  Indians,  knowing  Haynes  of  old,  were  at  first  suspicious 
of  him,  and  not  inclined  to  accept  the  invitation,  but  he  per- 
sisted, and  seemed  so  siuoere  in  his  offer  of  hospitality,  that 
they  at  last  accepted  his  invitation, 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  237 

After  dark  that  night  Ben  Haynes  paddled  his  canoe  to  the 
Pennsylvania  side  of  th«  river,  and  went  to  Tom  Quick's 
cabin,  up  the  Shohola.  He  told  Quick  about  the  Indians, 
and  the  two  hunters  planned  that  Tom  Quick  should  hide  in 
the  bushes  on  the  river  bank  at  Handsome  F.ddy,  and  when 
Haynes  brought  the  unsuspecting  Indians  to  the  rocks  to 
fish,  Quick  was  to  shoot  one  and  Haynes  to  kill  the  other. 

Next  day  Huycon  and  Kan  ope  went  to  Hay  lies'  cabin,  and 
he  paddled  them  to  the  eddy,  and  they  larded  at  the  rocks 
and  began  to  fish.  Quick,  from  his  ambush,  shot  Kanope. 
The  bullet  passed  through  the  Indian's  skull  but  did  not  kill 
him.  Huycon  sa;v  the  flash  of  Quick's  gun,  and,  jumping 
into  the  river,  swam  toward  the  New  York  shore.  Haynes 
finished  Kanope  as  he  lay  wounded  on  the  rocks,  by  knock- 
ing his  brains  out  with  a  pine  knot.  Quick,  in  the  meantime, 
reloaded  his  gun  and  fired  at  Huycon,  who  had  got  well 
toward  the  opposite  shoiv.  Quick  missed  him,  and  before  he 
could  load  again  the  Indian  had  reached  the  shore  and  es- 
caped to  the  woods.  ?'  of  the  murderers  was  ever 
brought  to  justice,  and  f-yr  roars  afterward  they  boasted  of 
the  killing  of  Kanope,  and  regretted  that  his  companion  es- 
caped them.  Yet  the  memory  of  Quick  is  kept  green  by  a 
fine  bronze  statue  at  Milford.  It  was  erected  by  the  late 
Lieut.-Gov.  William  Dross  of  Oiieago,  who  was  pleased  to 
give  it  the  heroic  title  of  "  The  A  verger." 

The  story  of  the  panther  that  tried  to  steal  the  resolute 
Mrs.  Haynes'  baby  is  Dot  comp'ete  without  its  sequel.  The 
baby  grew  to  manhood.  His  name  was  Ben,  and  he  proved  to 
be  a  worthy  son  of  his  father.  He  became  known  as  one  of 
the  most  desperate  characters  along  the  river.  When  the 
lumber  business  cf  the  Delaware  Valley  was  developed, 
Young  Ben  Haynes,  as  he  was  known,  became  a  raftsman. 
He  piloted  rafts  clown  the  then  treacherous  rapids  of  the 
Lacka waxen  river.  O:io  afternoon  he  started  with  a  raft 
from  Parpack  Eddy,  now  Hawley,  Pa.  The  freshet  was  high 
and  strong.  Haynes  was  asked  where  he  intended  to  stop 
for  supper. 

"  In  hell,  maybe  !"  was  his  reply. 

Perhaps  he  did,  for  his  raft  was  wrecked  in  the  fierce 
rapids  kuown  as  the  Narrows,  four  miles  below  the  eddy, 
and  he  was  drowned. 


238  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

INDIAN  TEKEITORY    LAWS — THE  "NATION"   A  REFUGKE  FOE    CRIMI- 
NALS FROM  ALL  PARTS  OF    THE  COUNTRY. 

DURING  a  trip  early  this  year  (1895)  from  Chicago  to  the 
Southwest  the  Record  correspondent  took  pains  to  make 
some  personal  observations  in  the  Indian  Territory,  and 
came  by  rail  thro  ugh  the  strongholds  of  the  Cook  gang,  near 
the  southern  Kansas  border.  Before  leaving  Kansas  City 
the  writer  read  of  fresh  "hold-ups"  in  the  region  he  pro- 
posed to  visit,  and  even  the  Missouri  Pacific  passenger  agent 
at  Kansas  City  admitted  that  his  company  could  not  guaran- 
tee a  safe  passage  through  the  Territory.  The  agent  com- 
plained bitterly  of  want  of  protection  by  the  United  States 
Government,  and  said  that  the  business  of  not  only  his  com- 
pany but  each  of  the  other  companies  running  through  the 
Territory  had  been  ruined  by  a  prevailing  lawlessness.  The 
last  sleeping  car  sent  through  the  Territory  had  come  back 
riddled  with  bullets,  and  the  night  train  service  had  been 
discontinued  as  a  result.  Nothing  short  of  martial  law,  ac- 
cording to  the  railroad  official,  would  meet  the  situation, 
which  became  more  desperate  day  by  day.  The  express 
companies  declined  to  receive  money  or  valuables  for  trans- 
mission through  the  Territory,  and  business  was  rapidly 
being  paralyzed. 

At  Nowata,  a  small  station  near  the  Kansas  border,  the 
agent  said  he  had  been  "  held  up  "  a  few  hours  previously  by 
some  of  the  Cook  gang  and  about  $100  of  the  company's 
money  had  been  stolen.  It  was  the  evident  purpose  of  the 
bandits  to  hold  up  the  train  at  that  point,  but  as  the  latter 
was  some  hours  late,  they  robbed  the  station  agent  and  left 
before  daylight  came.  At  Bragg's,  another  small  station,  a 
group  of  coffee-colored  natives  were  seen  guarding  the  dead 
body  of  an  Indian  who  had  been  murdered  a  fe'v  hours  be- 
fore. At  a  third  stopping  place  there  was  a  scrimmage  on 
the  station  platform,  in  which  the  train  porter,  a  burly  Creek 
Indian,  scored  one  or  two  knockouts  and  restored  quiet  be- 
fore the  train  left.  According  to  the  train  officials  such  inci- 
dents as  the  above  are  daily  witnessed,  and  it  was  freely  ad- 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  239 

mitted  that  never  before  had  crime  been  so  rampant  in  th« 
Territory. 

At  Fort  Smith  and  Little  Eock  the  correspondent  ques- 
tioned leading  officials  of  the  United  States  courts,  with 
jurisdiction  in  the  Indian  Territory,  and  also  leading  officials 
of  the  Arkansas  State  Government,  as  to  the  most  feasible 
methods  of  breaking  up  the  gangs  of  criminals  that  have 
brought  about  this  reign  of  terror.  Opinions  widely  differ, 
but  it  is  noticeable  that  the  only  pleas  for  a  continuance  of 
the  present  condition  of  affairs  come  from  United  States  of- 
ficials. There  are  a  good  many  Federal  Commissioners, 
Judges,  and  other  officials  whose  usefulness  would  be  gone 
and  whose  salaries  would  be  stopped  if  the  present  tribal  re- 
lations of  the  five  civilized  tribes  of  Indians  were  broken  up 
and  either  Territorial  or  State  Government  adopted.  With- 
out a  single  exception,  the  opinion  of  all  others  than  Federal 
officials  is  in  favor  of  a  change.  Men  who  have  lived  in  the 
Indian  Territory  for  a  generation,  and  others  who  have  lived 
on  its  borders  and  traveled  through  it  for  an  equally  long 
period,  all  pronounce  the  present  condition  of  affairs  a  dis- 
grace to  the  national  Government, 

In  a  recent  magazine  article  Gov.  Fishback  of  Arkansas, 
who  has  lived  most  of  his  life  at  Fort  Smith  on  the  border  of 
the  "nation,"'  as  the  Indian  Territory  is  called,  says :  "This 
territory  in  its  present  condition  has  become  a  national  peet- 
house  !  It  is  a  disgrace  to  our  country,  to  civilization,  and 
to  humanity!"  He  takes  the  Government  to  task  in  this 
way: 

''We  have  entered  into  treaties  with  the  five  civilized  tribes 
as  if  they  \vere  an  independent  nation,  and  yet  we,  at  the  same 
time,  assert  jurisdiction  over  them  as  if  Indian  Territory 
were  a  part  or  parcel  of  our  national  domain.  We  try  them 
in  courts  just  as  we  try  citizens  of  the  United  States  in  any 
state  or  territory.  This  dual  jurisdiction  makes  law  and 
order  impossible.  If  an  Indian  kills  a  white  man  or  a  white 
man  kills  an  Indian,  he  is  tried  in  the  United  States  courts. 
If  an  Indian  kills  an  Indian  of  the  same  tribe  he  is  tried  in 
the  Indian  courts.  This,  with  the  sparsely  settled  condition, 
makes  the  Territory  a  safe  harbor  for  criminals.  Almost 
every  week  I  am  asked  to  offer  a  reward  for  criminals  who 
commit  crima  In  this  state  and  flee  to  the  nation  for  refuge. 


240  INDIAN   MASSACRES. 

The  Territory  has  become  a  school  of  crime  for  the  younger 
Indians.  The  recent  bands  of  desperadoes  are  almost  all 
young  men.  Our  Government's  relation  to  the  Indians  is  a 
sham.  It  treats  them  as  foreigners,  and  at  the  same  time 
treats  them  as  citizens.  It  does  not  protect  the  real  Indian, 
who  has  been  driven  to  the  wilds  and  fastnesses  by  the 
squaw  men  and  sharpers  who  now  control  the  Territory.  "We 
pretend  to  protect  the  poor  Indian  from  robbery  by  the  rich, 
while  in  reality  we  protect  nobody  but  the  rich  in  their  rob- 
bery of  the  poor  Indian." 

A  remedy  is  the  next  thing.  Gov.  Fishback  and  others  who 
consider  present  conditions  a  disgrace  would  welcome  either 
Territorial  or  State  Government  for  the  Territory.  No  one 
talks  of  taking  any  land  from  the  Indians.  It  is  even  pro- 
posed to  allow  the  new  Indian  State,  like  Texas,  tosabsolute- 
ly  control  its  own  public  domain.  All  that  is  asked  is  that 
the  Indian  Territory  shall  change  its  form  of  government 
and  come  into  line  with  the  rest  of  the  nation  either  as  a  Ter- 
ritory or  as  a  State. 

Judge  Farker,  the  Federal  Judge  at  Fort  Smith,  and  per- 
haps the  most  conservative  living  authority  on  our  relations 
with  the  five  civilized  tribes,  has  sentenced  more  Indian 
criminals  to  death  than  any  other  Judge,  and  yet  so  just  is 
he  in  the  interpretation  of  Indian  treaties  and  so  fearless  in 
the  punishment  of  crime  that  the  Indians  regard  him  as  their 
greatest  friend.  He  says:  "  Territorial  government  would 
not  better  the  condition  of  the  Indian  Territory,  neither 
would  it  repress  crime.  I  favor  State  government  for  the 
Indian  Territory,  and  believe  the  Indians  themselves  will 
ask  for  it  in  time,  say  within  ten  years.  But  the  process  of 
civilization  is  slow,  and  the  Indians  are  not  yet  ready  for 
state  government.  There  should  be  no  intermediate  Terri- 
torial process,  which  would  only  aggravate  present  condi- 
tions and  would  overrun  the  Territory  with  carpet-baggers 
and  troken-down  politicians.  I  do  not  believe  that  crii&e  in 
the  Territory  is  worse  than  it  was  ten  or  fifteen  years  ago, 
and  the  courts  are  fully  able  to  cope  with  it."' 

On  the  latter  point  the  preponderance  of  testimony  is 
against  the  conclusions  of  Judge  Farker.  Traveling  men 
who  have  regularly  visit, d  the  "nation  "  for  a  dozen  years 
or  more  say  that  ten  years  ago  they  thouerht  not  king  of  mak- 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  241 

mg  collections  and  carrying  large  sums  of  money  on  their 
persons.  They  do  not  dare  do  s©  now,  and  most  of  them  ara 
walking  arsenals. 

The  Indian  Territory  is  no  longer  an  Indian  reservation, 
and  there  are  four  or  five  whites  to  every  Indian  within  its 
borders.  Squaw  men  and  adventurers  hold  sway  and  have 
fenced  in  all  the  desirable  lands,  with  the  consent  of  the  In- 
dians who  are  too  rich  to  work.  The  full-blooded  Indians 
live  i a  isolated  corners  and  are  rarely  seen.  The  wealth  of 
some  of  the  tribes  is  remarkable,  although  the  whites  absorb 
most  of  every  Government  allowance  and  rob  the  Indians  by 
every  artifice  known.  Even  after  being  plundered  for  year?, 
the  Oage  Indians  in  the  Territory  are  worth  about  $20,000 
for  every  man,  woman,  and  child  in  the  tribe.  There  are 
many  very  rich  men  among  the  Cherokees  and  Chickasaws. 
But  the  Indians  have  already  practically  surrendered  their 
lands  to  the  whites,  and  by  inviting  the  latter  into  the  Terri- 
tory for  purposes  of  tribute  have,  it  is  claimed,  themselves 
abrogated  their  treaty  with  the  United  States. 

Whatever  may  be  the  force  of  the  treaty  with  the  five  civi- 
lized tribes,  it  is  manifest  that  law  and  order  cannot  be  sac- 
rificed. Post-offices  are  being  robbed,  mail  trains  are  held 
up,  and  inter-state  commerce  is  interrupted  by  the  Terri- 
tory's gangs  of  bandits.  The  United  States  Government  is 
set  at  defiance  daily,  and  the  public  at  large  do  not  really 
understand  the  situation. 


24:2  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 


CHAPTER  XXTX. 

TH3  FIVE  TRIBES  OF  CIVILIZED   INDIANS  -PROPOSED  LEGISLATION  IN 
CONGRESS  TO  GIVE  THEM  TERRITORIAL  GOVERNMENT. 

IT  is  a  difficult  matter  for  Congress  to  supply  legislation  of 
a  sort  that  will  at  once  bo  acceptable  to  the  Indians  and  de- 
sirable for  the  Government.  The  j;awes  Commission,  j-p- 
pointed  to  confer  with  the  tribes  was  unfortunate  in  not  be- 
ing able  to  get  any  counter  propositions  from  the  Indians  in 
response  to  their  own.  On  the  day  appointed  the  Indians 
met  the  Commissioners,  listened  attentively  to  what  was 
said,  and  asked  time  for  consideration,  but  promised  noth- 
ing, and  all  the  indications  were  against  a  favorable  con- 
clusion. 

The  proposals  submitted  to  the  Five  Tribes  by  the  Com- 
missioners were,  with  slight  modifications,  the  same  for  each 
of  them.  First,  all  lands  except  town  sites  and  coal  and  min- 
eral lands  were  to  be  divided  in  severalty  among  the  citizens 
of  the  tribes  according  to  treaties  now  in  force,  the  land  thus 
taken  for  homes  being  made  inalienable  for  twenty-live 
years,  or  such  longer  period  as  was  agreed  upon.  Each  al- 
lottee should  receive  his  land  without  expense,any  trespassers 
being  removed.  Town  sites,  coal  and  minerals  already  dis- 
covered before  allotment  were  to  be  disposed  of  by  fair  and 
just  agreement,  protecting  the  interests  both  of  the  tribes 
and  those  who  had  invested  in  them.  Ail  claims  against  the 
United  States  were  to  be  settled,  and  all  invested  funds  not 
devoted  to  school  purposes  and  all  moneys  found  due  from 
the  United  States  or  derived  from  the  sale  of  town  sites,  coal 
and  minerals  were  to  be  divided  per  capita  among  the  citi- 
zens. Finally,  a  Territorial  Government  should  be  formed 
by  Congress  over  such  of  the  tribes  as  might  consent  to  it, 
the  pi osent  tribal  government  meanwhile  continuing  until 
a.fter  fie  allotment  of  land  and  money.  For  some  tribes  a 
board  of  three  persons,  one  to  be  a  member  of  the  Dawes 
Commission,  another  a  member  of  the  tribe,  and  a  third  se- 
lected by  those  two,  was  to  be  appointed  upon  all  questions 
of  citizenship  and  right  to  allotments.  But  in  the  case  of  the 
Cherokee  tribe,  which;  according  to  a  decision  of  th«  Interior 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  HC> 

Department,  is  the  exclusive  j  udge  of  who  are  citizens,  this 
proposal  was  withdrawn. 

State  legislation  proposed  in  Congress  covers  the  two  main 
points  thus  presented,  namely,  allotment  in  beveralty  and  a 
change  to  Territorial  Government.  Uut  it  proposed  to  deal 
with  them  in  a  compulsory  manner  instead  of  allowing  the 
Indians  a  voice  in  the  matter.  One  of  the  propositions  of 
the  Dawes  Commission  was  that  an  agreement  for  a  Territor- 
ial Government,  "  when  made,  shall  be  submitted  for  ratifi- 
cation to  the  Cherokee  Government,  and  if  ratified  by  it  shall 
then  be  submitted  to  Congress  for  approval/'  This  appears 
to  be  a  very  fair  arrangement  in  any  case. 

But  the  question  arises  whether,  after  all,  the  Indians 
would  ever  consent  to  these  two  main  provisions.  It  appears 
that  on  Jan.  23rd,  18;/4,  the  Dawes  Commission  met,  at  Mus- 
cogee,  a  commission  appointed  by  Chief  Legus  C.  Ferryman 
of  the  Creek  Nation  ;  but,  after  a  conference,  the  Creek  dele- 
gates requested  a  public  meeting  at  Okmulgee,  their  capital. 
At  that  point,on  April  3rd,a  u  umber  of  Creek  citizens  expressed 
themselves  as  desiring  the  proposed  changes  on  account  of 
the  poverty-stricken  condition  of  the  common  people ;  but 
after  the  Commissioners  had  addressed  the  large  gathering 
the  Chief  followed  in  the  Creek  language,  which  was  not  in- 
terpreted to  the  Commissioners.  They  were  informed,  how- 
by  one  who  was  present,  that  the  Chief  told  the  people 
that  they  would  each  receive  a  lot  of  land  only  8  feet  by  4.  It 
was  unfortunate  that  the  Commissioners  did  not  take  the  pre- 
caution to  provide  themselves  with  an  interpreter,  as  they 
would  have  learned  whether  the  Chief's  statement  was  only 
a  jocose  reference  to  the  fact  that  allotment  might  yield  a 
burial  lot.  At  all  events  they  found  that  on  a  vote  the  entire 
meeting  "  passed  over  to  the  side  against  our  propositions." 
Immediately  thereafter  the  Creek  Council  met  and  passed 
resolutions  declining  to  appoint  persons  to  treat  with  the 
Commissioners,  or  to  take  any  steps  looking  to  the  allotment 
of  lands  or  change  of  government.  Nevertheless,  on  July 
25th,  the  Dawes  Commission  sent  in  the  formal  propositions 
already  spoken  of,  but  received  no  answer  to  them. 

The  Choctaw  Council  was  addressed  in  like  manner  at  its 
capital,  Tuskahoma,  on  Jan.  -J  ~,th,  and  afterward  the  Commis- 
sioners, by  request,  addressed  meetings  on  various  points 


244  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

during  the  spring  and  summer ;  but  it  seems  that  they  were 
accompanied  by  three  persons  appoiuted  by  the  Choetavv 
Council  who  could  speak  both  English  and  Choctaw,  and 
"  were  instructed  to  use  their  influence  to  prevent  favorable 
consideration  of  the  propositions  submitted."  In  fact  no  an- 
swer came  from  the  Choctaw  Council.  Like  results  followed 
the  labors  among  the  Chickasaws,  who  were  addressed,  at  thft 
suggestion  of  Gov.  Jonas  Wolfe,  Feb.  6th,  1894,  atTishomingo, 
and  afterward  elsewhere. 

The  Cherokees  were  in  like  manner  called  upon ;  but  at  the 
outset,  on  Jan.  30th,  1394,  a  Commission,  instructed  to  deal 
with  the  visitors,  informed  the  latter  that  their  tribal  Council 
had  forbidden  them  to  enter  upon  negotiations  looking  to  al- 
lotment or  changes  of  government.  Afterward  Chief  C.  J. 
Harris  asked  for  an  extension  of  the  time  for  answering  the 
propositions  until  the  November  meeting  of  the  Cherokee 
Council,  but  nothing  came  of  it.  The  negotiations  with  the 
Seminoles  were  of  the  same  fruitless  character. 

Taking  these  facts  into  consideration,  it  seems  absolutely 
hopeless  to  secure  either  the  suggested  change  of  govern- 
ment or  severalty  allotment  without  taking  compulsory  steps 
or  else  offering  to  the  Indians  inducements  greater  than  have 
yet  been  mentioned.  The  conclusion  of  the  Dawes  Commis- 
sion was  in  favor  of  overthrowing  the  present  Governments, 
on  the  ground  that  the  Indians  themselves  had  violated  the 
spirit  of  the  treaties  allowing  lands  to  be  held  in  common 
and  securing  tribal  rule. 


INDIAN  MASSACRES. 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

SURVIVORS    OF    INDIAN    WARS — ONLY    ABOUT    4,000    VETERANS  AND 
WIDOWS -NOW  ALIVE. 

THE  report  accompanying  a  bill  introduced  in  Congress  to 
pension  the  surviving  soldiers  of  the  Indian  wars  whose 
names  are  not  now  borne  on  the  pension  rolls,  and  which  was 
written  by  Mr.  Tawney  of  Minnesota,  contains  some  interest- 
ing statistics.  It  shows  that  there  still  remain  of  the  Semi 
nole  war  of  1817  only  five  survivors  and  120  widows;  of  the 
"  La  Fevre"  Indian  war,  which  occurred  sixty-eight  years 
ago,  there  remain  only  14  survivors  and  107  widows ;  of  the 
Sabine  war  of  1836  there  remain  on!y  ±21  survivors  and  155 
widows ;  of  the  Cayuse  war  of  1  >47  there  are  114  survivors 
and  32  widows ;  of  the  Texas  and  New  Mexico  Indian  wars 
there  still  survive  1,418  veterans  and  8,10  widows  ;  of  t',e  Cali- 
fornia Indian  wars  there  still  survive  470  and  230  widows ; 
of  the  Indian  wars  of  Oregon  and  Washington,  prior  to  1 
t  ijore  still  survive  2,399  and  1,340  widows.  In  many  cases  the 
so  man's  name  appears  twice  on  the  rolls,  and  it  is  esti- 
mated that  a  proper  accounting  of  the  soldiers  will  show  that 
not  more  than  4,000  are  alive  at  present. 

'•  The  last  of  these  wars/'  the  report  continues,  "  occurred 
forty  years  ago,  and  the  estimated  age  of  the  survivors  is 
fixed  at  63  years,  while  the  estimated  age  of  the  Sominole 
survivors  is  94  years.  We  owe  to  them  largely,  if  not  entire- 
ly, the  acquisition  of  the  vast  empire  of  the  Pacific  North- 
west. Most  of  the  old  survivors  are  in  needy  circumstances, 
while  all  are  in  old  age,  and  it  is  estimated  by  the  Commis- 
sioner of  Pensions  that  the  pensionable  period  cannot  extend 
more  than  about  seven  years  hence.  Many  of  these  men 
were  omitted  from  the  act  pensioning  survivors  of  Indian 
wars  between  18.2  and  1842,  and  for  this  reason  the  latest  bill 
is  the  more  just,  since  it  includes  all  the  survivors  of  the 
recognized  Indian  wars  prior  to  Ib56." 


246  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 


OHAPTEE  XXXI. 

INDIAN    GAMBLING — A    FLIGHT    OF    ROCKY    MOUNTAIN    LOCUSTS— A 
PRAIRIE  FIRE. 

A  YOUNG  captive  among  the  Indians  told  his  friends  after 
escape  that  the  tribe  holding  him  were  greatly  addicted  to 
gambling.  They  had  a  variety  of  games ;  one  was  that  of  the 
moccasin.  It  is  played  by  a  number  of  persons  divided  into 
two  parties.  In  one  of  four  moccasins,  a  little  stick,  or  small 
piece  of  cloth,  is  concealed.  They  are  then  laid  down  by  the 
side  of  each  other  in  a  row,  and  one  of  the  adverse  party 
touches  two  of  the  moccasins.  If  the  one  he  first  touches 
has  the  thing  hidden ^  in  it,  the  player  loses  eight  to 
the  opposite  party ;  if  it  is  not  in  the  second,  but  in  one  of 
the  two  passed  over,  he  loses  two ;  if  it  is  not  in  the  one  he 
touches  first,  and  is  in  the  last,  he  wins  eight.  The  articles 
staked  are  valued  by  agreement.  A  beaver-skin  or  blanket 
is  valued  at  ten ;  sometimes  a  horse  at  one  hundred.  There 
is  another  game  played  with  circular  counters,  one  side  of 
them  being  plain,  while  the  other  is  painted  black.  Gener- 
ally nine  are  used,  but  never  fewer.  They  are  put  together 
on  a  large  wooden  bowl,  which  is  placed  upon  a  blanket, 
when  the  two  parties  playing,  numbering  perhaps  thirty 
people,  sit  down  in  a  circle.  The  game  consists  in  striking 
the  edge  of  the  bowl  so  as  to  throw  all  the  counters  into  the 
air,  and  on  the  manner  in  which  they  fall  upon  the  blanket 
or  into  the  bowl,  depends  the  player's  gain  or  loss.  If  the 
player  is  fortunate  in  the  first  instance,  he  strikes  again  and 
again  until  he  misses,  when  it  is  passed  on  to  the  next.  So 
excited  do  the  Indians  become,  that  they  often  quarrel  des- 
perately. On  one  occasion  the  captive  was  staked  by  the  In- 
dian who  considered  himself  his  owner,  and  he  was  lost  to  a 
chief.  The  squaw,  who  had  the  care  of  him,  on  hearing  that 
he  had  been  lost  with  other  property  cried,  and  declared  that 
she  would  not  agree  to  his  being  given  up.  Thereupon  sev- 
eral packs  of  peltries,  the  whole  of  his  remaining  property, 
were  staked  in  a  fresh  game  by  his  owner,  who  won,  and  the 
captive  remained  with  his  Indian  mother. 

One  of  the  strange  sights  that  frequently  came  over  the 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  247 

vision  of  Indians  and  on  several  memorable  occasions  has 
been  witnessed  by  settlers,  to  their  sorrow,  in  the  region  of 
the  Rock  Mountains,  was  the  army  of  locusts  en  route  over 
the  plains.  The  horizon  at  first  wears  an  unearthly  ashen  hue, 
giving  one  the  impression  of  an  approaching  storm.  Present- 
ly it  seems  as  if  the  whole  air  is  filled  with  light  silvery  clouds, 
and  what  looks  at  first  like  flakes  of  snow  falling  turn  out  to 
be  numberless  large  insects  with  wings.    The  number  in  the 
air  in  a  short  time  becomes  so  great  that  at  intervals  they  per- 
ceptibly lessen  the  light  of  the  sun.    In  looking  upward  as 
near  to  the  sun  as  the  light  will  permit,  the  sky  continually 
changes  color  from  blue  to  silvery  white,  ashy  gray,  and  lead 
color,  according  to  the  density  of  the  masses  of  insects.    Op- 
posite to  the  sun  the  prevailing  hue  is  silvery  white,  percept- 
ibly  flashing.    The  hum  produced  by  the  vibration  of  so 
many  million  wings  is  quite  indescribable,  and  is  more  like 
what  some  people  call  a  ringing  in  the  ears,  than  any  other 
sound  that  is  anything  like  it.    The   sight  is  very  awe-pro- 
ducing to  the  mind.    At  first  the  locusts  take  short  flights, 
but  as  the  day  increases,  cloud  after  cloud  arise  from  the 
prairie  and  pursue  their  way  in  the  direction  of  the  wind. 
Later  in  the  day,  they  settle  down  upon  the  leaves  of  shrubs 
and  grass  to  rest  after  their  long  flights.    The  whole  district 
where  they  alight  presents  a  curious  appearance,  for  they 
cut  the  grass  uniformly  to  one  inch  from  the  ground.     If 
they  settle  on  any  cultivated  ground,  the  entire  crops  of 
corn,  wheat  or  rye  is  destroyed.    They  leave  nothing  green 
behind  them,  and  even  devour  such  things  as  woolen  gar- 
ments, skins  and  leather  with  the  most  astonishing  rapidity. 
Though  they  fly  very  high  in  the  air  when  on  their  journeys, 
they  pitch  usually  on  the  ground  by  preference.    Occasion- 
ally the  forests  are  stripped  of  their  leaves,  and  are  left  with 
a  thoroughly  wintry  aspect,  by  these  rapacious  insects.    In 
1875 ,  great  deprivation  was  caused  by  the  ravages  of  the  lo- 
custs in  a  certain  meridian  of  the  West.    It  has  been  assert- 
ed that  locusts  boiled,  and  afterward  stewed  with  a  few 
•vegetables  and  a  little  butter,  pepper,  salt  and  vinegar,  make 
an  excellent  frioaases.    This  land  of  meat  might  have  satis- 
fied John  the  Baptist,  but  no  one  need  be  alarmed  that  lo- 
custs will  ever  beoonae  a  staple  article  of  food  in  the  United 


v*o  INDIAN  IvJASoACivES. 

For  the  benefit  of  those  who  never  witnessed  a  genuine 
prairie  fire  a  vivid  description  of  one  is  here  published.  The 
story  is  told  by  a  camping  part  •.  About  half  a  mile  away 
appeared  what  looked  like  a  vast  burning  lake  about  a  mile 
in  width  arid  extending  to  a  much  greater  distance.  Pres- 
ently, beyond  it,  another  began  to  blaze  up,  increasing  with 
terrible  rapidity ;  and,  further  off  a  third  bright  light  was 
seen,  which  also  began  quickly  to  extend  itself.  Nothing, 
save  a  volcanic  eruption,  could  surpass  it  in  grandeur.  The 
flames  rose  to  an  extraordinary  height,  rushing  over  the 
ground  v.  ith  the  speed  of  race  horses,  and  devouring  every 
tree  and  shrub  in  the  coursb.  The  wind  blew  it  away  from 
us ;  but  we  could  surmise  how  fearful  would  have  been  our 
doom  had  we  been  on  foot  traveling  across  that  part  of  the 
country.  We  should  have  had  no  chance  of  escape,  for  the 
intervals  which  at  first  existed  betweeu  these  lakes  of  fire 
quickly  filled  up.  The  conflagration  swept  on  to  the  west- 
ward, gradually  also  creeping  up  toward  us.  We  continued 
watching  it,  unable  to  tear  ourselves  away  from  the  spot.  It 
was  grand  and  awful  in  the  extreme.  To  arrest  its  progress 
would  have  been  utterly  beyond  the  power  of  human  beings. 
The  Indians  have  a  paradoxical  way  of  saying  they  have 
"  put  out  fire"  wrhen  they  mean  they  have  just  started  one. 
They  frequently  committed  this  destructive  act  simply  as  a 
signal  to  let  their  friends  know  that  they  had  found  buf- 
falo. Streams  of  water  or  marshes,  or  a  heavy  rainfall,  are 
the  only  extinguishers  of  prairie  fires. 


THE    SCOUTS  AND  THE  SIOUX. 

A  niount-iiiciosed  valley,  close  sprinkled  with  fair  flowers. 
As  if  a  shattered  rainbow  had  fallen  there  in  showers; 
Bright-pluinaged  birds  were  warbling  their  songs  among  the  trees, 
Or  fluttering  their  tiny  wings  in  the  cooling  western  breeze. 
The  cotton  woods,  by  mountain's  base,  on  every  side  high  tower, 
And  the  dreamy  haze  in  silence  marks  the  sleepy  noontide  hour. 
East,  south  and  north,  to  meet  the  clouds  the  lofty  mounts  arise, 
Guarding  this  little  valley — a  wild  Western  Paradise. 
Pure  and  untrampied  as  it  looks,  this  lovely  flower-strewn  sod — 
One  scarce  would  think  that  e'er,  by  niau,  had  such  a  sward  been 

trod ; 

But  yonder,  see  those  wild  mustangs  by  lariat  held  in  check, 
Tearing  up  the  fairest  flora,  which  fairies  might  bedeck; 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  219 

And  near  a  camp-fire's  smoke,  we  see  men  standing  all  around — 
'Tis  strange,  for  from  them  has  not  come  a.  single  word  or  sound. 
Standing  by  cottonvvood,  with  arms  close-folded  on  his  breast, 
Gazing  with  his  eaglo  eyes  up  to  the  mountain's  crest, 
Tall  and  commanding  is  his  form,  and  graceful  is  his  mien; 
As  fair  in  face,  as  noble,  has  seldom  here  been  seen. 
A  score  or  more  of  frontiersman  recliae  upon  the  ground, 
But  starting  soon  upon  their  feet,  by  sudden  snort  and  bound ! 
A  horse  has  sure  been  frightened  by  strange  scent  on  the  breeze, 
And  glances  now  by  all  are  caut  beneath  the  towering  t*ees. 
A  quiet  sign  their  leader  gives,  and  mustangs  now  are  brought, 
And,  by  swift-circling  lasso,  a  loose  one  fast  is  caught. 
Then  thundering  round  the  mountain's  dark  adamantine  side, 
A  hundred  hideous,  painted,  and  ficrca  Sioux  warriors  ride; 
Wuile,  from  their  t'aroats,  tho  well-kaowu  and  horrible  dcath-kneli, 
The  wild  blood-curdling  war-whoop,  and  the  fierce  and  fiendish  yell, 
Strike  the  ears  of  all,  now  r?ady  to.fight,  a  K!  e'en  to  die, 
In  that  mount-inclosed  valley,  Ic-ncath  that  blood-red  sky! 
Nov  riu^s  throughout  the  open,  on  all  sides  clear  and  shrill, 
Tho  dreaded  battle-cry  of  him  whom  men  call  Buffalo  Bill! 
On,  like  a  whirlwind,  then  they  dush— the  brave  scouts  of  the  plains, 
Their  rifle-barrels  soft  caressed  by  mustang's  flying  manes ! 
On,  like  an  avalanche,  they  sweep  through  the  tail  prairie  grass; 
Down,  fast  upon  them,  swooping,  tha  drtad  and  savage  mass! 
Wild  yells  of  fierce  bravado  come,  and  taunts  of  deep  despair; 
While,  through  the  battle-smoke  there  fiuunts  each  feathered  tufcof 

hair. 

And  loudly  rings  the  war-cry  of  fearless  Buffalo  Bill ; 
And  loudly  rings  (lie savage  yells,  which  make  the  blood  run  chill! 
The  gurgling  death-cry  n.ingles  with  the  mustang's  shrillest  scream, 
And  sound  of  dull  and  sodden  falls  and  howie's  brightest  gleam. 
At  length  there  slowly  rises  the  smoke  from  heaps  of  slain, 
Whose  wild  war-cries  will  never  more  ring  on  the  air  again. 
Then,  panting  and  bespattered  from  tha  showers  of  foam  and  bio  xl, 
The  scouts  have  once  more  halted  'neath  the  shady  cottonwool. 
In  haste  they  are  re  loading,  and  preparing  for  a  sally, 
While  the  scattered  fee,  now  desperate,  are  yolling  in  the  valley. 
Again  are  heard  revolvers,  with  their  rattling,  sharp  report; 
Again  the  scouts  are  seen  to  charge  down  on  that  wild  cohort. 
Sioux  fpll  around,  like  dead  reeds,  when  fiercest  northers  blow, 
And  rapid  sink  in  death  before  their  hated  pale-face  foe  ! 
Sad,  smothered  now  is  music  from  the  mountain's  rippling  rill, 
But  wild  hurrahs  instead  are  heard  from  our  brave  Buffalo  Bill, 
Who,  through  the  thickest  carnage  charged  ever  in  the  van. 
And  cheered  fainthearts  around  him,  since  first  the  fight  begun. 


250  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

Deeply  demoralized,  the  Sioux  fly  fast  with  bated  breath, 

ADC!  glances  cast  of  terror  along  that  vale  of  death ; 

While  the  victors  quick  dismounted,  and  looking  all  around, 

On  their  dead  and  mangled  enemies,  whose  corses  strewed  the  ground. 

"  I  had  sworn  I  would  avenge  them" — were  the  words  of  Buffalo 

Bill— 

"  Tie  mothers  and  their  infants  they  slew  at  Medicine  Hill. 
Our  work  is  done— dona  nobly— I  looked  for  that  from  you; 
Boys,  when  a  cause  is  just,  you  need  but  stand  firm,  and  true! " 

— "  Buckskin  Sam,"  in  Beadlefs  Weekly. 


INBIAN  MASSACRES. 


CHAPTEE  XXXII. 

THE  MOUNTAIN  MEADOWS  MASSACRE — THE  MORMON  CHURCH  THE  IN- 
STIGATOR—A SCENE  OF  HORROR. 

THE  massacre  of  1807  by  the  Indians,  instigated  by  Mor- 
mon rulers,  for  baseness  of  motive  and  fiendish  ferocity  of 
execution  has  no  parallel  in  the  history  of  civilized  nations. 
A  party  of  emigrants  from  Arkansas  to  California,  number- 
ing nearly  150  persons,  pursued  their  uneventful  journey  un- 
til thoy  arrived  at  the  Mormon  settlements  of  Utah.  On  all 
sides  there  seemed  to  be  a  premeditated  agreement  to  refuse 
the  emigrants  the  slightest  courtesy  or  any  information. 
Even  money,  so  potent  everywhere,  would  purchase  no  deli- 
cacy for  the  children,  medicine  for  the  sick,  or  food  for  them- 
selves and  their  starving  animals.  The  party  journeyed 
wearily  onward  until  they  reached  the  Mountain  Meadows,  in 
Washington  county,  325  miles  from  Salt  Lake  City.  This 
.  was  an  oasis,  indeed,  with  verdant  grasses  and  crystal  springs 
of  water.  In  order  to  recruit  their  stock,  it  was  decided  to 
remain  on  the  beautiful  spot  a  few  days,  not  suspecting  any 
danger ;  but  they  were  doomed  to  encounter  a  fate  as  horri- 
ble as  it  was  unlocked  for  and  undeserved. 

The  Mormon  sp.as  reported  to  their  superiors  this  fatal 
decision  of  the  emigrating  party,  and  the  Indians,  who  had 
been  incited  to  fury  against  these  unfortunate  people,  were 
led  on  to  the  attack.  Among  them  were  fifty  or  sixty  Mor- 
disguised  as  Indians.  The  force  was  led  by  John  D. 
Lee,  and  several  fiendish  associates,  one  of  them  being  a 
Mormon  bishop.  Having  surrounded  the  unsuspecting  emi- 
grants on  the  12th  of  September,  the  next  morning,  at  dawn, 
they  made  a  furious  attack  upon  them,  killing  seven  and 
wounding  sixteen,  three  of  them  fatally.  Although  taken 
unawares,  they  made  a  noble  defense,  and  the  savages  and 
their  allies  were  beaten  off  with  severe  loss.  None  of  the 
Mormons  were  killed,  but  several  Indians  were.  Infuriated 
at  the  loss  of  their  warriors,  runners  were  sent  out  to  various 
tribes  for  reinforcements,  and  Mormon  militia  were  hurried 
forward  also  to  render  certain  the  annihilation  of  the  heroic 
men  who  bravely  held  their  corral  against  overwhelming 


2A3  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

numbers  of  their  assailants.  S  >  successfully  had  the  Mor- 
mons disguised  themselves  that  two  of  the  Arkansans  slipped 
through  the  Indian  Hues  the  next  night  and  were  making 
their  way  back  to  Cedar  City  to  as'c  help  from  the  Mormons, 
when  they  were  met  by  some  of  the  faithful.  Their  errand 
was  stated  to  these  fiends,  when  one  of  them  instantly  shot 
one  of  the  messengers.  The  other  was  wounded,  but  man- 
aged to  get  back  to  the  corral  with  the  report  that  they  could 
more  hopefully  look  for  mercy  from  the  Indians  than  the 
Mormons.  After  the  first  attack  0:1  Tuesday  the  emigrants 
drew  their  wagons  close  together,  and  dug  a  rifle  pit  in  their 
midst,  and  from  this  the  emigrants  poured  out  a  deadly  fire 
on  the  hordes  of  savages  whenever  they  attempted  a  charge. 
On  Thursday,  just  at  daylight,  another  furious  attack  was 
made  by  the  combined  forces,  but  it  proved  disastrous  to  the 
besiegers.  One  band  of  Indians  left  in  disgust,  and  drove 
off  some  of  the  emigrants'  cattle. 

The  same  day  one  of  the  leading  Mormons  ciossed  the  val- 
ley to  get  on  higher  ground  to  spy  out  the  best  method  of 
attack.  The  emigrants  saw  his  movements,  and  also  per- 
ceived that  he  was  a  white  man.  Two  little  girls  were  sent 
out  to  liini  with  a  flag  of  truce,  to  implore  terms  for  the 
doomed  train,  but  were  unrecognized.  He  satisfied  himself 
that  some  other  method  than  assault  would  have  to  be  re- 
sorted to  dislodge  the  emigrants.  That  night  there  was  a 
Mormon  council  held,  a]:  \vhich  it  was  decided  that  on  the 
morrow  the  Arkansans  should  be  decoyed  from  their  fortress, 
and  all  of  them  who  were .  old  enough  to  talk  were  to  be 
butchered.  The  arrangements  agreed  upon  were,  that  John 
D.  Lee  was  to  treat  with  the  emigrants  under  a  flag  of  truce. 
lie  was  to  demand  that  all  of  the  young  children  were  to  be 
put  into  one  wagon, the  wounded  into  another,ana  the  arms  in- 
to a  third.  They  were  then  to  be  protected  from  the  Indians 
and  conveyed  in  safety  back  to  Cedar  City,  where  they  could 
wait  until  the  arrival  of  some  other  train  and  go  through  to 
California  with  it.  The  three  wagons  were  to  be  driven  with- 
out halt  past  the  Mormons  and  savages,  who  had  been  <••  m- 
cealed  in  a  growth  of  scrub  cedars,  over  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
from  where  they  had  dug  the  rifle  pit.  Following  the  wagon 
were  to  come  the  women  and  youth.  These  were  to  pass  the 
Mormon  militia  and  not  to  halt  until  in  the  midst  of  the  ce- 


INDIAN  MASSACRES.  253 

dar  thickets,  where  the  Indians  were  hidden.  The  men  were 
to  be  halted  opposite  the  militia,  who  were  to  form  a  line  on 
tho  right  of  the  emigrants  with  their  guns  lying  across  tkeir 
left  arms  ready  for  instant  action.  The  march  was  then  to  bo 
resumed  until  the  three  wagons  had  cleared  the  cedar  thir 
aid  the  women  were  in  the  midst  of  it,  with  the  men  about  a 
hundred  yards  behind  them.  A  signal  was  then  to  be  givers 
at  which. the  militia  was  to  shoot  the  unarmed  men,  the  In- 
dians to  rise  from  their  ambush  and  butcher  the  women  an. I 
the  larger  children,  while  Lee  and  others  were  to  murder  the 
wounded.  The  emigrants  accepted  the  terms  proposed.  Tho 
arms  and  ammunition  were  surrendered. 

While  all  were  moving  forward  in  the  order  stated,  the  sig- 
nal was  given.  After  a  moment  of  deep  silence,  there  came 
a  report  of  a  single  gun,  and  the  carnival  of  murder  had  be- 
gun. Before  the  echoes  of  that  gun,  or  the  death  moan  of 
its  victim  had  died  away,  there  came  the  fierce  rattle  of 
musketry,  the  skrieks  of  the  wounded  and  the  groans  of 
dying  men.  Further  up  the  line  toward  the  wagons,  where 
the  red  savages  had  waite  1,  was  'heard  their  blood  curdling 
whoops  and  the  screams  of  women  and  children.  Bow  and 
rifle,  spear  and  tomahawk,  were  doing  the  infamous  work  of 
the  Mormon  church.  Childhood  and  age;  the  matron  and 
maiden  ;  the  hoary  octogenariau  and  tiny  prattler,  and  babes 
at  the  breast  were  ruthlessly  butchered.  Nearly  every  one 
of  the  male  emigrants  was  killed  by  the  first  fire ;  but  strange 
to  say  three  escaped  death  and  made  their  way  almost  to 
the  borders  of  California  before  they  were  overtaken  and 
killed.  Two  girls  escaped  into  the  cedar  brush,  but  were 
trailed  by  an  Indian  chief,  who  wanted  to  save  them.  1 
cut  the  throat  of  one,  and  commanded  the  chief  to  shoot  the 
other.  When  the  massacre  was  complete  the  dead  bodies 
were  robbed  of  money  and  jewelry,  and  the  Indians  carried 
away  all  the  clothing  stripped  from  the  victims.  The  next  I 
day  the  corpses  were  thrown  into  ditches  and  covered  light- 
ly with  dirt,  which  was  entirely  washed  olT  by  the  next 
spring,  and  their  flesh  and  bones  became  food  for  beasts  of 
prey  and  carrion  birds". 

Nearly  20  years  after  this  horrible  massacre  the  Mormon 
church  surrendered  Lee  to  suffer  for  this  terrible  crime.  On 
March  23rd,  1877,  he  was  taken  to  the  meadows  and  shot  to 


254  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

death— the  laws  of  Utah  Territory  giving  the  condemned  a 
choice  of  death   h  ,g  or  shooting.    A  single  life  to 

atone  for  the  murder  of  one  hundred  and  thirty-five  souls ! 


256  INDIAN  MASSACRES. 

CHAPTER  XXXIII.  }  \J 

INDIAN    TERRITORY    COURTS — THE    NEW    SYSTEM   ADOPTED   BY  CON- 
GRESS FOR  ENLARGED  JURISDICTION  THERE. 

IN  a  former  chapter  some  idea  has  been  given  of  the  law- 
lessness that  has  prevailed  in  the  Indian  Territory  for 
several  years.  Congress  has  at  last  afforded  partial  relief  to 
the  oppressed  by  talking  an  important  step  to  improve  the 
judicial  system  of  that  section  of  the  country.  Under  an 
act,  which  became  a  law  just  befoiv  adjournment,  March 4th, 
1895,  the  Indian  Territory  is  divided  into  three  judicial  dis- 
tricts, each  to  have  at  least  two  terms  annually  of  the  United 
States  Court.  The  Northern  district,  consisiing  of  the  Creek, 
Semiuole,  Cherokee,  Quapaw  Agency  and  Miami  Tounsite 
country,  will  have  sessions  at  Yinita,  Miami,  Tahlequah  and 
Muscjogee;  the  Central  district,  or  Choctaw  country,  at  South 
McAlester,  Atoka,  Antlers  and  Cameron;  the  Southern  dis- 
trict, or  Ciiickasaw  country,  at  Ardmore,  Purcell,  Paul's 
Valley,  Ryan  and  Chickasha.  Two  additional  judges  will- 
be  appointed,  there  formerly  being  only  one,  who  is  hereafter 
to  be  the  judge  for  the  Central  district,  the  new  ones  then 
being,  of  course,  for  the  Northern  and  Southern.  The  salary 
of  each  judge  is  to  be  $5,000,  and  the  additional  judges  may 
be  appointed  and  commissioned  during  the  recess  of  Con- 
gress. Provisions  are  also  made  for  appointing  an  attorney 
and  marshal  in  each  district  at  a  salary  of  $4,000  for  each, 
with  deputy  marshals  at  $1,200.  Other  provisions  relate  to 
the  manner  of  summoning  jurors  and  to  the  general  admin- 
istration of  justice,  including,  of  course,  the  extent  of  juris- 
diction and  the  methods  of  serving  process. 

Especially  important  to  note  is  the  provision  that  after 
Sept.  1st,  1896,  the  United  States  Court  in  the  Indian  Terri- 
tory is  to  have  exclusive  original  jurisdiction  of  offenses 
committed  in  the  Territory  except  in  such  cases  as  the  courts 
at  Paris,  Tex. ;  Fort  Smith,  Ark.,  and  Fort  Scott,  Kan.,  shall 
have  acquired  jurisdiction  of  before  that  time.  Again,  it  is  to 
have  original  jurisdiction  of  civil  cases  as  now,  and  appellate 
urisdiction  of  cases  tried  before  commissioners  acting  as 
justices  of  the  peace  in  which  the  judgment  exceeds  $2  >. 


